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Patrick stole softly forward to the painting to ob- 
tain a nearer view of the wonderful picture of the 
Christ-child. Page 23. 



Patrick’s First 
Christmas 

And Other Stories 
for Children 


VVrv^T 


Blj margarete lenk 



ROCK ISLAND, ILL. 

AUGUSTANA BOOK CONCERN 



Copyright, 1921, 

BY 

Aitgustana Book Concern. 


©'! A653505 




DEC 23 '21 


CONTENTS. 


Patrick's First Christmas 5 

Cast Up from the Sea 60 

Christmas Eve 102 





|N an island in the mighty Missis- 
sippi there stood many years ago 
an old tumble-down house sur- 
rounded by well-tilled fertile fields and 
smiling meadows. 

The house, however, was far from well- 
kept. There were not white curtains be- 
fore the grimy windows, and no flower 
beds before the main entrance. Nor were 
these things to be expected, for no woman 
presided as mistress over this home, and 
the farmer and his only son had neither 
time nor inclination for anything but the 
practical details of their work. 

Besides the two men there was Patrick, 
a lad of fourteen, who played the part of 
servant and drudge to the men. On an 
unusually fine day in late autumn this lad 

5 



PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


was sitting on a huge rock overlooking 
the river, and gazing with unseeing eyes 
into the far distance. It was not often 
that such moments of leisure came to him, 
for the youthful servant was ordinarily 
kept strictly to his tasks by his exacting 
masters. 

But this day, Thanksgiving Day, was 
one of the few days of rest that the occu- 
pants of the island allowed themselves. 

No one, however, had ever taught Pat- 
rick that this day was set aside to return 
thanks to God for all His blessings. Nev- 
ertheless this day had brought a great 
happiness to the lad, as could be seen from 
his smiling face and sparkling eyes when- 
ever he opened his tightly clenched fist to 
gaze upon the three bright silver dollars 
he had received that morning as the first 
installment of his wages. 

After the dinner at which turkey had 
been served instead of the customary mea- 
ger fare, the farmer’s son had departed 
by the ford for the mainland, while the 


6 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

farmer himself had retired to his chamber 
and closed the door behind him. 

Patrick knew very well what was going 
on within. He knew that the farmer was 
counting his money, of which he had a 
. great hoard, and which was the greatest 
and sole joy of his life. But as for that, 
Patrick could count his money too, and he 
did it now over and over again ; “one, two, 
three.” 

But he soon tired of this, dropped the 
money into his pocket, and again looked 
yearningly out over the river to the near- 
est row of houses of the large city which 
stretched along the opposite bank. 

The lad remembered dimly that years 
ago he used to wander about the streets 
of that city as a little ragged urchin, and 
when night came he would return weary 
and hungry to a gloomy attic chamber and 
a pale, frail woman whom he called moth- 
er. His heart warmed to her now as he 
recalled that she had always given him 
the largest portion of their scanty provi- 

7 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


sions, retaining little or nothing for her- 
self. But one day she was gone, death 
had taken her, after which he had lived 
for a short time in a large house with a 
number of other boys, and had had plenty 
to eat and good clothes to wear. Never- 
theless he had often tried to run away 
in order to regain his lost freedom. Viv- 
idly and sadly he recalled a wet and gloomy 
day when the farmer had come to fetch 
him to this island where he had since 
lived. 

From that time on his life had been one 
long round of drudgery and toil. As his 
years and strength increased, the burdens 
laid upon him were multiplied. Work was 
his daily portion ; play he had never 
known. Neither the farmer nor his son 
seemed to consider that the boy had a 
heart and soul capable of feelings and 
emotions, and it must be admitted that 
he scarecly realized this himself. 

And yet, his emotional nature had found 
expression on more than one occasion dur- 

8 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


ing his brief life. When he first came to 
the. island, the farmer’s wife was still liv- 
ing, a kind and gentle woman burdened 
with ceaseless toil and oppressed by the 
harsh treatment of husband and son. She 
had spoken many a kind word to the for- 
lorn boy, had secretly supplied him with 
choice dainties of various kinds, and when 
her own long day of toil was over, she had 
often spent hours mending his clothes. 
Indeed, she would have done much more 
for him, had she dared, and had her own 
life not been cut short. On a cold and 
rainy spring day some years ago she had 
given up the hopeless battle of life, and 
she now rested in a lonely grave in a 
thicket of young trees on the outskirts of 
the farm. 

As Patrick sat musing about these 
things, his heart was filled with tender- 
ness and his eyes grew dim with tears. 

After the death of the farmer’s wife he 
grew up a sturdy lad and capable of all 
kinds of work in and about the house, and 


9 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


even in the fields beyond; but he was to- 
tally ignorant of all other things. 

Even his powers of speech were imper- 
fectly developed, for the men were taciturn 
by nature, and when they did speak, their 
language was sadly rude and provincial. 

Patrick's knowledge of the world was 
confined to what he could see from the 
shore of his island home. On the bank 
nearest the island he had often watched 
men felling trees and clearing the ground 
for the erection of new buildings in the 
city continually extending its limits along 
the river. On the rare occasions when he 
had visited the Opposite side of the island, 
he had beheld with wonder the broad ex- 
panse of the river upon whose bosom boats 
of all kinds, from palatial steamers to 
small fishing boats were plying up and 
down. And all these people, whom he had 
seen both by land and water, had only one 
great aim in life, namely the gathering of 
money — so, at least, the farmer and his 
son had taught him. It was therefore 

10 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

only natural that Patrick desired to strive 
for the same great aim, especially when 
he grew older and began to take note of 
the men's conversation as they sat about 
the fireplace smoking their pipes of a win- 
ter evening. Then, one day, he boldly ap- 
proached the farmer and voiced his ambi- 
tion which he had long secretly cherished : 

“Master, you must begin to give me 
some money. I am working for you as a 
hired hand, and you have told me yourself 
that a hired hand gets regular wages." 

“You silly lad, haven't you had food and 
clothing all these years?" exclaimed the 
farmer. 

“I was small then," Patrick retorted. 
“Now I have grown up and must have 
money. I also want to make a trip to the 
city at least once a month." 

“And why so?" asked the farmer im- 
patiently. 

“I want to enjoy the spending of my 
money in the city as your son does," Pat- 
rick replied. “I am just as good as he is; 


11 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


we are all equal in this free land of ours, 
so you have often declared and also read 
to me from the city paper you sometimes 
bring home. ,, 

A moment the farmer eyed the robust 
lad with dark looks, then he went into his 
chamber and brought out the three silver 
dollars which he reluctantly placed in the 
boy's hand. 

“That's plenty for you now,'' he declared 
brusquely. “When spring comes I'll give 
you some more. Next Christmas you can 
go to town, but you must manage it your- 
self, for you can't have the team." 

And now Patrick was sitting on the rock 
with his precious dollars in his pocket and 
four more weeks to wait before he could 
spend them for the fun he desired to have. 
What this fun was he didn't know ; but he 
had often heard the farmer growl at his 
son for wasting so much money on fun, 
when it might have been preserved in the 
old man's money bags. 

As he now sat on the rock by the river, 


12 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


the idea suddenly occurred to Patrick that 
he should run away from his harsh task- 
masters. It would be an easy matter for 
him to wade and swim the short distance 
across to the city. 

But no! He couldn’t do it. For there 
was something else besides the power of 
habit to keep him on the island. 

Last spring the old white mare had 
given birth to a colt which was so weak 
and puny that the farmer decided to kill 
it in order to avoid all further trouble 
with it. But when the farmer had raised 
his gun to shoot, the colt had looked so 
appealingly at Patrick that he had uttered 
a cry of agony, and rushing forward had 
pleaded so earnestly for permission to 
nurse the sickly colt for a week or two 
longer that the farmer had finally yielded 
to his prayers. 

Patrick kept his promise, and sure 
enough, white little Jim grew rapidly 
stronger and soon became a fine and prom- 
ising colt. Whenever Jim saw Patrick he 


13 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

would trot up to him and rub his head 
against the lad's shoulder; and with a 
glow of satisfaction Patrick would throw 
his arms about Jim's neck and fondle him. 
The lad was beginning to discover that 
he had a heart after all! No! To leave 
the island was to leave Jim, and that was 
out of the question! 

So he waited patiently for the coming 
of Christmas and during this time learned 
that the mere possession of money did not 
tend to make him any happier. He could 
not understand why the old farmer 
guarded his own money with such anxious 
care. 

Finally the great day arrived — Christ- 
mas when the hearts of all Christian peo- 
ple are filled with joy and gladness. But 
Patrick knew nothing about the beautiful 
Christmas story. No one had ever spoken 
to him about God or about the Christ- 
child born on Christmas Day. All he knew 
was that Christmas was a time of scrub- 
bing and baking and that plum pudding 
was then served. 


14 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


The two men stayed at home and mixed 
themselves some strong drink after the 
Christmas dinner. But Patrick bade fare- 
well to Jim, gave him several lumps of 
sugar that he had saved and then he set 
out on foot for the wonderful city. 

As it was cold and the ice was thick, 
Patrick soon reached the bank of the river ; 
but after that the way became more diffi- 
cult on account of the rocks and under- 
brush along the shore. It was an hour 
before he reached the highway, and it was 
dusk when he sat down to rest on the 
stone steps of a large house in the out- 
skirts of the city. 

Soon he became aware from the shouts 
and laughter that reached him from the 
house that something unusual was taking 
place behind those blazing windows. Per- 
haps this was the very place where he 
could have the fun for which he had been 
longing ! 

He climbed up to the window and peered 
in. Two negroes were fighting, and a 


15 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


crowd of white men was standing around 
with liquor glasses in their hands cheering 
and laughing boisterously. Ugh! This, 
surely, was not the fun he was looking for ! 

He proceeded on his way and came to 
one of the poorer quarters of the city ; but 
to Patrick the brilliant shop windows and 
the decorated Christmas trees were grand 
sights indeed. Gaudy toys, many-colored 
candies, and shining chinaware every- 
where met his gaze and served to delay 
his progress through the city. 

Patrick suspected that all these things 
might be bought for money; but what 
should he do with them and how could 
he dispose of them in his little attic cham- 
ber on the island? 

But just then something very beautiful 
in one of the shop windows caught his 
attention : a red leather strap studded with 
shining bells such as were hung on horses 
when they were hitched to sleighs in win- 
ter. 

How fine that would be for his beloved 
16 



The fog and mists arising from the sea began to 
appear as spirit forms to her, and in the roaring of 
the storm she seemed to hear the hoarse songs of the 
gods of the sea, proclaiming good luck or misfortune 
to the children of men. Page 69. 








PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Jim! He promptly entered the shop, pur- 
chased the sleighbells for one of his dol- 
lars, hung them over his shoulder, and 
went merrily on his way to the tune of 
the jingling bells. 

The streets were growing quiet and de- 
serted. Here and there small groups of 
children were hurrying onward as if be- 
lated. Patrick followed these and soon 
arrived at an open square in the middle 
of which two houses were situated, one of 
them surmounted by a high tower. Pat- 
rick knew this to be a church but what 
a church was for he did not have the 
slightest idea. 

The high arched windows were blazing 
with light, and the great bell in the tower 
peeled forth joyously. In the square be- 
fore the church a large number of boys 
and girls were arranging themselves in a 
long column which presently marched up 
the church steps and disappeared within 
the open doors. Then the sound of music 
burst upon his ears — music so beautiful 

17 


Patrick's First Christmas . 2 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


and grand that tears sprang into the eyes 
of the lad, he knew not why. 

Here Patrick must surely enter, even if 
it cost him his two remaining dollars, for 
here he would surely find the fun he had 
dreamt about. 

He hastily joined the procession and 
was just entering behind the last of the 
boys when he was suddenly grasped by 
the arm and halted. A tall man stood 
beside him, who inquired : 

“Who are you, my lad? You don't be- 
long to the Sunday school." 

“No, I live on the island," Patrick re- 
plied. 

“What do you want here then?" the 
man asked. 

“I want to have some fun," Patrick an- 
swered stoutly. 

The man stood looking down upon him 
a moment as if reflecting; then he said: 

“Very well, my lad ! But you must leave 
the sleighbells outside." 

“But they are mine. I have bought 


18 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


them for Jim, and they cost me a dollar,” 
Patrick declared anxiously. 

Then the man opened a door to a side 
room and smilingly said: 

“Come, we will hang your bells here, 
and when you leave you can get them 
again.” 

Patrick looked suspiciously about the 
room where there was only a table and 
several chairs. What if this man was one 
of those thieves who, he had heard, in- 
fested the city? But no, the man seemed 
good and kind, and besides he was well 
dressed. So Patrick allowed himself to be 
gently pushed in through the church door 
which closed behind him. 

The poor lad, accustomed as he was to 
a lonely life, felt almost afraid of the large 
throng of people that filled the great, bril- 
liantly lighted church. He sat down in the 
last pew, from which the sloping floor 
made it possible for him to overlook the 
entire room. 

Everything he saw was strange and 
19 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


wonderful. But presently his attention 
was attracted by something which caused 
him to forget all else. It was not the tow- 
ering Christmas tree with its candles and 
sparkling decorations that had awakened 
his interest ; it was a large beautiful paint- 
ing in the chancel behind the altar. The 
painting represented a little child in swad- 
dling clothes, lying upon some straw in a 
wooden manger such as Patrick had been 
accustomed to feed Jim from every day. 
A wonderful radiance lit up the child’s 
face, and about its little head was a shin- 
ing, golden halo. The child’s little hands 
were outstretched as if to embrace all the 
world. All about the manger a number 
of lovely children were kneeling with 
folded hands and clad in white robes, while 
upon their shoulders there were large, sil- 
very wings. 

Presently the smallest children sitting 
in the foremost pews began to sing accom- 
panied by soft, sweet music which seemed 
to come from above. 

0 


20 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


As never before, Patrick now was con- 
scious of that he possessed a heart. It 
began to pound so hard and loud that he 
had to press his hand against it. The 
tears rolled down his cheeks, and yet he 
was supremely happy! Had he dared, he 
would have rushed forward and kissed 
the Child in the manger, for he felt that 
this child was the chief source of all the 
brightness and joy that surrounded him. 

And in this he was not mistaken, for 
now the man who had taken his bells from 
him appeared, clad in a long black robe, 
and as he began to speak, he pointed re- 
peatedly to the child in the manger. And 
as he pointed, all the little heads of the 
children would look up at the painting, 
and time and again they would sing sweet 
songs of praise that filled Patrick's heart 
with gladness. 

Unfortunately poor Patrick understood 
very little of what was said and sung, 
however much he might desire to know 
who the Child in the manger was. He was 


21 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

not accustomed to listen to long, connected 
speeches, and this man’s way of talking 
was quite different from that of the far- 
mer on the island. 

In the last song of all, however, Patrick 
noticed a word that was repeated over 
and over: Hosanna! Hosanna! He liked 
the word and hummed it to himself, for 
his heart was full and warm with feeling. 

But though his singing was not above 
a whisper, the Father in heaven heard it 
and took pity on the poor ignorant lad. 
God’s guiding hand had brought him to 
this place, in order that on this very 
day the first bright ray of the light from 
above might shine down into his benighted 
heart. 

After the program two pleasant looking 
gentlemen, each with a large basket hung 
over his shoulder, passed from pew to pew 
distributing to the children rosy-cheeked 
apples, nuts, animal cookies, and gaily 
colored Christmas candies. Of these good- 
ies Patrick also received an abundant por- 


22 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


tion. He had been hungry when he en- 
tered the church, but now happiness had 
deprived him of his appetite. So he stored 
it all away in his pockets, planning to give 
it to Jim. 

By this time the children were marching 
out of church with happy, smiling faces. 
Patrick, however, did not join them, but 
stole softly forward to the painting to 
obtain a nearer view of the wonderful 
picture of the Christ-child. 

It seemed more beautiful and radiant 
than ever, now that many of the lights 
had been extinguished. Who was this 
child, and why did it lie in a manger? 
And how did it come that the children 
about the manger all had wings?” 

Suddenly the picture was blotted out, 
and Patrick was startled to find himself 
in darkness. But a hand was laid reas- 
suringly on his shoulder, and turning he 
beheld the man in the black robe with a 
small lamp in his hand. 

“Come,” he said, “now you may get your 
sleigh bells and go home.” 


23 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


As if waking from a beautiful dream, 
Patrick looked up at the man and asked 
anxiously : 

“But what has become of the beautiful 
child?” 

“0, you see,” explained the man smil- 
ing, “the picture is a transparency, and 
the light behind it has been put out. 
Watch me now. as I go behind it with my 
lamp, and you will see it faintly again.” 

“Yes, yes, now I see it!” Patrick ex- 
claimed joyously. “But say, who is it? 
You must know, for you were talking to 
the children about it, but I didn’t under- 
stand much of what you said, for you 
don’t talk the same way as we do on the 
island.” 

“Don’t you really know who the child 
is?” asked the pastor with astonishment. 

“How should I know?” Patrick retorted. 
“I have never seen it on the island, and 
to-day is the first time Pve been in the 
city for many years.” 

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said the 


24 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


pastor. “It's growing cold here, and my 
lamp is burning down. Come with me to 
my house, and I’ll tell you all about the 
child. But have you time, and is there 
no one at home to be anxious about you 
if you linger?” 

The boy shook his head and willingly 
followed the pastor, who again hung the 
sleigh bells across the lad’s shoulder, 
locked the church door, and conducted 
Patrick to the parsonage next to the 
church. 

They entered a pleasant but simply 
furnished room. A fire blazed in the open 
fireplace, and a large lamp shed its light 
upon an inviting table set with a steaming 
teapot, bread, cold meat, and fresh, fra- 
grant Christmas muffins. 

“Ah, how splendidly my kind neighbor 
lady has prepared things, for me!” ex- 
claimed the pastor, pleasantly surprised. 
“Now you can sit down with me to this 
light repast. You are alone this Christ- 
mas Eve, and so am I. We seem to belong 


25 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


together. I’ll fetch you a plate and a cup 
from the sideboard. There now, sit down ; 
I hope you are as hungry as I am.”, 

Wonderingly Patrick observed how the 
young pastor folded his hands and spoke 
aloud before they began to eat, although 
the lad looked in vain for the person ad- 
dressed. 

The meal was just to Patrick's taste, 
and he began to feel greater confidence in 
his host, who was so unlike the farmer on 
the island, and who spoke so kindly to him 
as no one had done since the death of the 
farmer's wife. 

While they were eating, the pastor 
gently questioned the boy and learned with 
pity that Patrick had never known the 
love of parents or kindred, had never at- 
tended school or church, could neither 
pray, nor read and write, and only knew 
the name of God to use it in oaths which 
he had learned from his masters when 
they were displeased about something. He 
also discovered that the lad knew little or 


26 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


nothing of the world, did not know where 
he should spend the night, or how he 
should employ the coming Christmas Day. 

“Is there no one on the island at all 
that cares for you, or that you care for?” 
the pastor finally inquired. 

“0 yes, there is Jim,” Patrick replied. 

“Who is Jim?” 

“Jim is the little sickly colt that I nursed 
until it got well. And then, of course, 
there is the grave where the farmer’s wife 
lies buried — I like that too. She was kind 
to me and gave me food and clothing when 
I was a little boy.” 

“But didn’t you tell me that the farmers 
gave you food and clothing too? Why 
don’t you like them then?” 

“0, they feed and clothe me because I 
work for them,” Patrick replied. “But 
the farmer’s wife gave me these things 
because she liked me, and because she was 
kind and good.” 

“I think you are right,” the pastor re- 

i 

plied. “When you have finished your meal, 


27 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

I will tell you about one who is always on 
your island, and who is kind and good 
even to those who do not deserve it. And 
that one is the Father of the Christ-child 
whose picture you saw.” 

“But he can’t be on the island,” Patrick 
declared, “for then I would know of it.” 

“Listen! I am tired and will sit down 
in this armchair, and do you sit on the 
stool at my feet and pay close attention 
to what I say. I am going to tell you 
many wonderful and beautiful things.” 

Then the good pastor began to speak to 
this big but ignorant boy as if he were 
a little child. And God put the right 
words into his mouth so that Patrick, who 
all the while sat gazing up at him with 
shining eyes, could grasp what he was 
saying. 

After an hour had passed, Patrick knew 
that there was a God who had created all 
things that exist, and who loved all human 
beings and wished to make them happy. 
Patrick also learned that he had often 

28 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 

grieved and offended this Heavenly Father 
by hatred and bitterness, by evil thoughts 
and words. He even confessed that he 
had felt unhappy every time he had quar- 
relled with the farmer and his son, or 
had played them some mean trick in anger. 
Patrick further learned that God had sent 
His beloved Son into the world to become 
a poor little child in order that He might 
take away our sins and make all — even 
Patrick himself — happy for all time. At 
these words Patrick’s face lit up with joy, 
for now, at last, he knew who the beauti- 
ful child in the manger was. 

But the smile soon vanished, his fea- 
tures began to twitch, his head sank down 
upon the pastor’s knee, and violent sobs 
shook his whole body. 

Gently the pastor stroked the lad’s close 
cropped head and spoke soothingly: 

“There, there, my boy, that will do for 
to-day. Thank God that He has permitted 
you to hear about the Child in the manger. 
I have ever so much more to tell you, and 


29 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

you must come to see me 'often ; but now 
we must have some sleep. I am going to 
make a bed for you here on the couch.” 

While the pastor was busy with these 
preparations, Patrick wiped away his 
tears and advancing to the table placed 
his two remaining dollars on it. 

“What is that for?” the pastor inquired. 

“That’s the pay,” the boy declared. 
“You have given me food to eat and a bed 
to sleep in, and besides you have made 
me happier than I’ve ever been before. 
But the farmer has told me that you can 
get nothing without pay in the city. Take 
this money then — it’s all I have.” 

“Put your money back in your pocket,” 
said the pastor with a smile. “What I 
am doing for you, I do because I love 
you.” 

Next morning the pastor had an easy 
time of it. Ordinarily he had to make the 
fire, cook the coffee, polish his shoes, and 
feed his horse; but this morning Patrick 
had performed all these tasks expeditious- 


30 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


ly and well, and with a radiant counte- 
nance, because he, too, was actuated by 
love. And this was a new and strange 
sensation to Patrick. 

That day he again attended church, and 
now he was able to grasp much more of 
what he heard. 

When they had eaten their dinner to- 
gether, his kind benefactor said to Pat- 
rick: 

“Now I must make a trip away from 
the city to speak in a country church 
about the Christ-child. You had better 
depart for home at once so that you may 
reach your island before dark, for it looks 
as if a storm were brewing. But tell me, 
how often can you come to see me so that 
I can tell you more about the Child in 
the manger?” 

“Four times a year, the farmer said 
that I might come to town,” Patrick re- 
plied. 

“Four times a year ! That’s not enough. 
Why, you would forget from the one time 

31 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


to the other all that I had tried to teach 
you,” the pastor exclaimed. 

“I will forget nothing; it's all in here,” 
Patrick declared, placing his hand over 
his heart. 

“But you should also learn to read,” the 
pastor asserted. “That’s absolutely nec- 
essary !” 

“Reading is no good,” Patrick objected. 
“Every time the farmer and his son read 
their paper they quarrel about it.” 

“That is because they do not know the 
Christ-child,” replied the pastor. “Do 
you see that large book on the desk? In 
it is written down all that the glorious 
Christ-child has done and suffered for us. 
Surely, you want to learn to read that, 
don’t you?” 

After reflecting a moment the lad re- 
plied : 

“I believe I can fix it so that I can come 
oftener this winter. But when spring and 
summer come, there is too much work to 
do.” 


32 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

With this arrangement the good pastor 
had to be content for the present, and so 
they parted. 

The two surly men on the island did not 
ask Patrick how he had spent his Christ- 
mas; they only laughed at him when they 
heard that he had paid a whole dollar for 
the sleigh bells. After a time, however, 
they could not help but notice that the lad 
was changed, that he somehow seemed 
pleasanter and happier than before. He 
had always been a good worker, but now 
his tasks were finished with surprising 
promptness and thoroughness. When he 
thought himself unnoticed he would often 
sing at his work. But when evening came 
he would sit before the fire for hours at 
a time submerged in deep thought. 

But who can describe the old farmer's 
amazement when two weeks after his 
visit to the city Patrick again presented 
himself and asked for a holiday? An oath 
burst from the old man's lips, and he 
raised his hand to strike. But Patrick 
calmly repeated his request and added: 

33 


Patrick’s First Christmas. 3 . 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


“If you let me go to town every Satur- 
day evening and stay there over Sunday, 
you won't have to give me any wages all 
winter, and I will work harder and better 
than ever before." 

“Go, then, if you must," cried the farm- 
er; “but you are a fool to do it! You 
will soon find out what you can do in town 
without money. I suppose you expect to 
beg your food and sleep in the snow." 

So it came about that Patrick arrived 
at the parsonage at dusk every Saturday 
and stayed there over Sunday dinner. He 
thought that he was making amazing 
progress in learning, though the pastor 
often found it slow and discouraging 
work. 

The boy's heart responded warmly and 
eagerly to the gospel message of Christ's 
love; but his lack of training made it dif- 
ficult for him to memorize the short Bible 
texts and songs and lessons from the cate- 
chism assigned him. Learning to read 
was also a long and laborious task. 


34 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Before long his masters discovered what 
he was doing in the city, for every evening 
he labored with his primer in the sweat 
of his brow. They often made fun of him, 
but it never entered their thoughts to aid 
him along the thorny path of knowledge. 

When the long and severe winter was 
nearing its end, the pastor one day said 
to his pupil: 

“Patrick, if it will be impossible for 
you to come to me all summer, I am afraid 
that you will soon forget what you have 
labored so hard to learn, even if your 
heart remains true to Jesus your Saviour. 
Come, wouldn’t you like to leave the island 
altogether? I could easily find work for 
you in the city, and then you could visit 
me an hour daily, and make much more 
rapid progress in learning to read. If the 
farmer has so much money as you say, 
why can’t he obtain another farm hand?” 

“0, he can well enough, but he won’t,” 
Patrick declared. “He holds on to his 
money as hard as he can. Do you know 

35 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


that I believe that money is to him what 
Jesus is to you!’' 

“Perhaps, though, he would let you go, 
if I came out to the island and had a talk 
with him about it,” the pastor replied. 

“0, don't do that!” cried Patrick in 
alarm. “He would only abuse and curse 
you, and I know how much that would 
hurt you. Please don't feel hurt, but I 
can’t come to the city to live. I belong to 
the island, and Jim belongs to me, so you 
see we must remain together.” 

The pastor felt that for the present he 
had better leave matters in this state. If 
he tried to exert undue pressure upon the 
lad, he was afraid that he might injure 
the good work that God had begun in Pat- 
rick's heart. All that summer, however, 
he prayed earnestly for his young friend; 
and when the work in the fields was ap- 
proaching its end, he waited impatiently 
for the coming of Patrick. 

At last, on a stormy day in late October, 
Patrick arrived wet to the skin and be- 


36 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


spattered with mud, but presenting a face 
radiant with happiness. 

“Here I am again,” he cried joyously; 
“and I haven’t forgotten a thing that you 
taught me ! When I worked in the fields, 
I repeated my lessons aloud; and every 
evening I read my book over and over. 
See, I have worn it all to pieces !” 

As evidence of this he drew the tattered 
remnants of his primer from his pocket 
and displayed it. 

“Jim is almost fullgrown now,” he con- 
tinued ; “next summer he will start to work 
at the plow. I’m proud of Jim! Every 
day I’ve sung to Jim the songs you taught 
me, and he seems to like them. And here 
are six dollars that I’ve earned this sum- 
mer. What shall I do with them?” 

“We will find some way to use them,” 
Teplied the pastor; “in the meantime I 
will take care of them for you.” 

“Best of all I would like to buy the book 
that tells about the Christ-child,” Patrick 
declared; “but I suppose I haven’t money 

37 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


enough for that, and I can’t ask you to 
trust me till I make some more.” 

“My dear lad !” the pastor said, “I have 
many such books, and I will gladly give 
you one for nothing as soon as you can 
read it properly.” 

From that day Patrick made rapid prog- 
ress. His spirit, so long dormant, seemed 
to awake to new and vigorous life, and his 
speech as well as his manners showed 
marked improvement. When Christmas 
Eve arrived he could take part in the 
singing, and great, indeed, was his joy 
when the pastor presented him with a 
handsome Bible with a strong leather 
binding. 

But all too rapidly the winter days sped 
swiftly to an end, and the time approached 
when Patrick would no longer be able to 
make his weekly visits to the parsonage. 
Now more than ever the pastor dreaded 
the coming separation, for the unfolding 
mind and soul of the boy would be in- 
creasingly exposed to the evil influences 
of his masters on the island. 


38 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Up to this time Patrick's soul-life had 
been that of a child. Now he was begin- 
ning to know and understand something 
of the world about him. Temptations, 
strong and terrible, were lurking in his 
path. Would he find strength to resist 
and overcome them? 

The boy himself now felt that he did 
not belong on the island ; but he could not 
make up his mind to leave it, and he 
pleaded eagerly with the pastor not to try 
to persuade him to take such a step. For 
Jim, his dear pet and friend, was going 
to be hitched to the plow in the spring, 
and Patrick knew only too well the cruel 
treatment the young, spirited colt would 
receive if left in charge of the farmer’s 
ill-natured son. He had often seen the 
son’s merciless treatment of the other ani- 
mals about the farm. No, Jim had been 
Patrick’s friend long before the latter had 
known the pastor; it would be ungrateful 
of the lad to desert Jim now! He was 
determined to train Jim to his work with 

39 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


infinite patience and gentleness, and he 
was already rejoicing in the thought of 
having the sole management of him dur- 
ing the summer. But “man proposes and 
God disposes,” as Patrick was soon to 
learn. 

Then came a momentous evening in the 
middle of March. The winter had been 
long and severe, and as yet there had been 
but few signs of the approach of spring. 
But the last few days, warm weather had 
suddenly set in, melting the ice and snow 
throughout the entire length of the river 
valley, even in the far north where the 
river has its source. 

Ever since the day before Patrick had 
noticed that the water had been mounting 
higher and higher up the rather low shores 
of the island, washing away the soil and 
gravel and even carrying off rocks of con- 
siderable size. He also noticed that the 
retaining wall along the river front of the 
city was almost submerged. 

The farmers on the island, however, 


40 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

were not alarmed, for they had often seen 
high water before, and they had no fears 
that the water would reach the house on 
the highest point of the island, nor even 
the barn and sheds at a somewhat lower 
level. But as a precaution they got ready 
their old boat which they seldom used, and 
fastened it with a stout chain to a stake 
at the foot of the rising ground. The 
young farmer declared that he would sit 
up and watch during the night, and leave 
the following night for Patrick to be on 
guard, if the river did not fall in the 
meantime. 

Patrick went calmly to sleep after hav- 
ing committed himself to God's care; but 
in the middle of the night he was suddenly 
awakened by the din of the storm and the 
roar of the rising flood. He started up 
and looked out through his attic window, 
but could see nothing on account of the 
darkness. Ominously near, however, he 
heard the swish of rushing waters, and 
hark! was not that the bawling of cattle 


41 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


in distress, issuing from the barnyard be- 
low? 

Quick as a flash Patrick pulled on his 
clothing, and darted down to the kitchen 
where the young farmer was sitting with 
his head on the table, fast asleep. Beside 
him stood a smoking lamp and a half 
empty whiskey bottle. 

“The flood, the flood!” Patrick cried, 
shaking him with all his might; then he 
ran into the chamber where the old man 
was sleeping. He found some difficulty 
in rousing the farmer and in explaining 
the cause of alarm; but when he had suc- 
ceeded in this, the old man was seized with 
nameless anguish. 

“My money, my money!” he cried des- 
pairingly. “Help me carry my money 
down to the boat!” 

“Yes, yes!” Patrick replied; “but we 
must first try to save the animals. We 
must fetch them up to the house; perhaps 
they will be safe here.” 

“No, no! not the animals — the money!” 

42 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


whined the old man, barring the. way 
when Patrick tried to leave him. 

Meanwhile the farmer's son had kindled 
a great pile of brush nearby, which served 
to light up the scene far and wide. 

The immediate neighborhood of the 
house was still above the water, but the 
stable and sheds must be partially sub- 
merged by this time, and the boat was 
tossing on the flood and tugging at its 
chain. 

It was still possible to reach the boat, 
but haste was necessary or the brush fire 
would go out and leave them in utter 
darkness. Patrick kept pleading for" the 
animals, particularly Jim, but no one 
would listen to him. He was compelled to 
assist in carrying the heavy money chest 
to the boat, as the farmer's son was busy 
salvaging articles of value to him. Both 
the farmers wore rubber boots, but the 
lad was barefooted and only partially 
clad. The raging torrent lapped about his 
breast before he reached the boat. Would 


43 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


it bear them safely over to the other shore, 
where large signal fires were by this time 
burning, in whose light dark forms could 
be seen rushing about along the rivers 
bank? 

“The boat won't carry us all,” growled 
the young farmer. “Run back, boy, and 
fetch the horses and cattle to the higher 
ground about the house. The water will 
soon begin to fall, and you will be safe 
enough there. When I've brought the old 
man and his chest to safety, I'll return 
for you or stay with you until the danger 
is over.” 

Patrick waded bravely back to the high 
ground. 0, if he could only save Jim! 
By the dwindling light of the brush fire 
Patrick saw that the barn was still stand- 
ing; but as he made his way through the 
water toward it, it fell with a crash and 
was swept away on the flood. At the 
same time the fire flickered and went out, 
leaving him in total darkness. 

Panick-stricken Patrick rushed back to 


44 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


the house and stood there leaning against 
the kitchen door. The water was very 
near to the house now. Patrick was not 
afraid to die, for the pastor had told him 
that death was only a sweet sleep to those 
who loved Jesus. Indeed, he rejoiced at 
the thought of coming to heaven, where 
his eyes would behold all the wonderful 
things he had heard about. But Jim! A 
convulsive sob rose to his lips as he con- 
templated the tragic fate of his dear 
friend. But perhaps the intelligent colt 
would be able to save himself by swim- 
ming! But where was Jim! 

“0, merciful God, save me and Jim, if 
it is Thy will! 0 save me — and save Jim 
too !” So Patrick sobbed and prayed over 
and over again. 

Hark, someone is approaching! Can it 
be the young farmer coming back for him ? 
Nearer and nearer came a dark form. 
Presently Patrick could feel a warm breath 
upon his cold cheek ; then he knew it was 
Jim as the colt rubbed his head against 
the boy’s shoulder. 


45 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


The dripping colt neighed cheerfully as 
Patrick stroked his neck, and scarcely 
knowing what he did, the lad swung up 
on Jim’s back and rested his weary head 
upon the colt’s neck. Slowly and care- 
fully the intelligent creature moved down 
to the water. . Perhaps the bright beacon 
fires on the opposite shore had attracted 
his attention, and he wished to seek safety 
for himself and Patrick in that direction. 
Once only, Patrick raised his eyes to the 
sky, and to his disordered fancy the break 
of dawn seemed to be at hand. But now 
the water was mounting up Jim’s sides 
and back, and the lad was almost entirely 
submerged. Convulsively he clung to 
Jim’s mane, his body sank lower upon the 
colt’s neck, and then he lost consciousness. 
❖ * * 

In the city the pastor had retired for 
the night at about the same time that 
Patrick had sought his bed in the attic 
chamber on the island. It was midnight 
when he was aroused by loud voices and 

46 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


the tramp of many feet along the street 
ordinarily so quiet at this time of the 
night. 

“What is the matter? Is there a fire 
somewhere ?” he shouted through the open 
window. 

“No, it's the river; it threatens to in- 
undate the city,” was the reply. 

Apparently the crowd consisted mostly 
of boys. Perhaps curiosity or the hope 
of salvaging articles of value from the 
flood was bringing them down to the 
river. But the pastor was ill at ease and 
could not go back to bed. How would 
Patrick fare if the flood overflowed the 
island ? 

In vain he tried to persuade himself 
that there was nothing he could do, for 
he could neither swim nor manage a boat 
in such a raging torrent. The more he 
reasoned thus, the higher mounted his 
anxiety for his young friend. 

At last he resolutely threw on his cloth- 
ing, lit the stable lantern, mounted his 
horse, and galloped off for the river bank. 


47 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


There he found everything in great con- 
fusion, for the flood was more threatening 
than he had imagined. Spurring off along 
the bank, he presently found himself op- 
posite to Patrick's island. Here beacon 
fires had been kindled, and men were busy 
salvaging property of all kinds from the 
angry flood. 

“How are conditions over on the island ?" 
the pastor inquired repeatedly. 

He had to wait some time for an answer, 
as all were busy with their own affairs on 
this side of the river and had given no 
thought to the dwellers on the island. 

“The nest on the island must be empty 
long ago," someone finally replied. “The 
old miser over there is not likely to allow 
his money to be lost in the flood." 

“But there's a boy out there of whose 
safety I would like to be assured," the 
pastor declared. “Won't somebody row 
me over? I'm willing to pay for it?" 

“You're crazy!" was the rough reply. 
“Who would want to risk his life for any 


48 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


of the old miser's folks? Besides, they've 
got a boat of their own to get away in." 

Irresolutely the pastor stood gazing out 
over the waters toward the dim outlines 
of the island. Suddenly a bright fire shot 
up from across the waters. The people 
must still be out there, then, and perhaps 
in grave danger. Peering intently into 
the darkness, the pastor thought that he 
could discern three dark shapes moving 
before the fire. 

They vanished from sight almost at 
once, but after a minute or two the light 
from the fire fell upon a boat tossing on 
angry waters. 

“They’ll save themselves all right !" 
some shouted. 

“Impossible!" others cried. “The flood 
will sweep them away to their death!" 

But the pastor was gazing fixedly and 
with growing anxiety at the boat, for, try 
as he would, he could see but two forms 
in it. Could the heartless farmers have 
left the boy behind? 

49 

Patricks First Christmas. 4 . 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Suddenly the fire flared up brightly for 
a moment only to dwindle again and die 
down completely, leaving the island in ut- 
ter darkness. With bated breath the peo- 
ple watched and listened for the coming 
of the boat, but in vain. The swift cur- 
rent must have swept it down the river 
or engulfed it in its tossing flood. 

Meanwhile the water rose ever higher. 
Everything movable along the shore was 
carried away. The people began to dis- 
perse and the beacon fires died down. A 
dim glow along the eastern horizon her- 
alded the coming of a new day. 

“Go home, pastor,” said one of the men 
kindly. “There is nothing more that you 
can do.” 

“0, I can't go home !” the pastor replied. 
“I am sure that there were only two in 
the boat. What if my poor lad has been 
left to his fate on the island?” 

Again he peered out across the tossing, 
foaming waters. Suddenly he started vio- 
lently and cried: 


50 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


“Look, there’s something floating out 
there! I see it distinctly, it’s a white ob- 
ject! And it isn’t a plank or a tree; it’s 
a living thing! 0, who will help me save 
Patrick ?” 

As if in reply a heavy hand was laid 
on his shoulder, and a youth in sailor 
dress stood by his side. 

“Come,” he said brusquely, “I’ll risk it 
with you. Not for money, however; but 
for God’s sake.” 

Hastily untying a boat, the sailor and 
the pastor rowed with all their might out 
toward the white object. Now they could 
see it struggle with the current. And now 
they could discern that it was a white 
horse with someone clinging to its neck. 
Surely, it was Jim and Patrick fighting 
for their lives! 

The pastors’ heart beat violently, and 
fervent prayers arose to God for help and 
guidance. But alas! When only a few 
boat lengths separated them from the 
horse, the lad’s body slipped from its back 


51 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


and vanished beneath the surface of the 
river. The pastor uttered a cry of an- 
guish, but the sturdy young sailor plunged 
overboard. When he reappeared at the 
surface, he had the unconscious lad in his 
strong grasp. It required but a moment 
to haul himself and Patrick into the boat. 
Poor, faithful Jim cast a last despairing 
look at his young master, then his strength 
failed him and he was swept away by the 
flood, nevermore to be the pride and com- 
fort of Patrick's heart. 

After a desperate struggle with the cur- 
rent the boat again reached shore where 
it was hauled out of the water by willing 
hands. Patrick was carried to a near-by 
house where he was soon restored to con- 
sciousness, and after being furnished with 
a change of clothing, he was able to ride 
home with his friend and protector, the 
pastor. 

As he lay on the couch at the parsonage, 
pale and weak from his long exposure, his 
pent-up sorrow over the loss of his faith- 


52 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


ful Jim burst all bounds, and for a long 
while no comforting word of the pastor 
could check his violent grief. Finally the 
pastor said in a tone of mild reproof : 

“Patrick, I had thought that you would 
be able to sacrifice something for the Lord 
Jesus who has given all for you! Can't 
you believe that it was God's will that you 
should lose Jim, and won't you try to bow 
in submission to His will?" 

“Yes, I'll try, I'll try!" sobbed the poor 
heart-broken boy, throwing his arms about 
the pastors’ neck. “But let me stay with 
you, for now you are the only one left for 
me to love, and to love me in return !" 

The pastor drew the forsaken lad into 
his arms, and promised himself and God 
that he would faithfully and lovingly care 
for the boy as if he were his younger 
brother. 

When the sun arose that morning, it 
could be seen that the house on the island 
had disappeared, that the orchard and 
fields had been ruined, and that much of 


53 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


the soil had been washed away by the 
flood. The two farmers were never heard 
of again. It was never learned whether 
they had found their grave in the raging 
river, or had succeeded to save themselves 
and treasure chest, and had settled down 
at some distant place. No one, however, 
missed them nor mourned for them, for 
they were never known to have done a 
deed of kindness to anyone. 

Some days later, when Patrick had 
bravely conquered his sorrow and regained 
his strength, the pastor said to him one 
evening : 

“As you have shown yourself a brave 
lad, I am now going to tell you something 
that will make you glad. I know that you 
don't like very well to live in the city with 
its large houses and crowds of people, but 
that you are willing to put up with it out 
of regard for me. Isn’t that so?” 

“Indeed it is!” Patrick declared. “But 
I confess that I sometimes feel as if I were 
a prisoner in this large city.” 


54 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


“Listen then,” the pastor continued. 
“In a short time we are going to move 
away from the city and out into the coun- 
try. There we will have a large garden 
and orchard surrounded by meadows and 
woods through which flows a beautiful 
little stream, and over all there will be 
the bright blue sky.” 

“Will there also be a church and a 
Christmas in the country?” asked Patrick, 
remembering the absence of these on his 
island farm. 

“Yes, indeed, there will!” the pastor 
declared. “And now I want to know if 
you will take service with me, help me 
with the garden and orchard, and take 
care of my horse and other animals that 
we may find there.” 

“Yes, Til serve you well, indeed I will !” 
Patrick cried jubilantly. 

“But, Patrick, we will not be alone 
there. I am soon going to take the best 
woman in the world to be my wife. Will 
you serve her also as faithfully as you 
serve me?” 


55 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


“Well, I suppose a wife is a good thing 
to have,” said Patrick hesitatingly, “she 
can wash our shirts, cook our food, and 
plant flowers in the front yard, but — ” 

Patrick grew suddenly silent and hid 
his face in his hands. At last he looked 
up at the pastor, and there were tears in 
his eyes as he said: 

“There was a wicked feeling in my heart 
— I wanted you all to myself. But I feel 
better now. The Christ-child loved all peo- 
ple, and I will learn to do the same. For 
your sake I believe that I already love the 
lady that you are to take to wife. But 
we must take good care of her and help 
her with all the heavy work, so that she 
does not break down and die, as the old 
farmer's wife on the island did.” 

“That we will surely do, Patrick!” de- 
clared the pastor heartily. 

After Easter the move to the country 
took place. The hour of parting was not 
easy; even Patrick felt sad at the break- 
ing of the ties he had formed. The more 

56 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


joyous, then, was their arrival to the new 
home where all nature stood decked in 
festive array as if to greet them. 

Patrick was exceedingly happy in the 
country. All day long he was busy in and 
about the house, and his evenings were 
devoted to reading and study under the 
pastor’s guidance. As he was by this time 
a large and robust youth, he was often 
hired by the neighboring farmers for 
wages that were surprisingly large in 
comparison with the mere pittance he had 
received on the island. The money thus 
earned was carefully saved, so that he 
within a few years could set up for him- 
self and rent a small farm only a short 
distance from the church and parsonage. 
The merry troop of children growing up 
at the parsonage were thus able to make 
frequent visits to their old friend and 
playmate, Patrick. 

But however pressing Patrick’s own 
work might be, he always set it to one 
side on Saturdays, for then he had a spe- 

57 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


cial duty to perform which was his joy 
and pride. Ever since his first week in 
the country he had served as sexton of the 
rural church, and he was tireless in his 
efforts to keep it clean and inviting for 
the Sunday services, the approach of which 
he heralded at sundown every Saturday 
by solemnly ringing the church bell. 

But the happiest time of all for Patrick 
was Christmas, when he could deck the 
church with holly and evergreen, and light 
the candles in the stately Christmas tree. 
His very first Christmas in the country 
he had celebrated by spending the six dol- 
lars he had earned on the island in the 
purchase of an exact duplicate of the 
transparency representing the Christ- 
child which had so rejoiced his heart on 
that first memorable Christmas Eve. 
With great secrecy the schoolmaster and 
himself had gone to town for the picture. 
With equal secrecy they had placed it in 
position in the church, and when the 
proper time arrived Patrick had flashed 


58 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


on the illumination, much to the surprise 
and pleasure of the pastor and the whole 
congregation. 

Since then many years had passed, and 
the picture was old and faded, but to Pat- 
rick it ever remained new and a source 
of the keenest joy. 

Every Christmas Eve, as he brought 
forth the picture from the nook where it 
had been kept during the year, and as he 
unrolled it and adjusted it in its frame, 
he lived over again in spirit that never- 
to-be-forgotten first Christmas celebration 
of his life. With joyous anticipation and 
beating heart he would flash on the lights 
and reverently gaze upon the radiant fea- 
tures and lovingly extended arms of the 
little Christ-child. Then it invariably hap- 
pened that there, in the dark and silent 
church, the big strong man would sink to 
his knees, and with bated breath sing over 
and over again, 

“Hosanna !” 


59 



Cast Up from tlie Sea 

ORTH of Scotland, where the tur- 
bulent North Sea rolls its billows 
into the broad Atlantic, there are 
two groups of islands called the Orkney 
Islands and the Shetland Islands. In the 
dim past they are said to have formed a 
powerful kingdom ruled by bold Viking 
sea kings. Dark heathendom then held 
sway over the fierce, warlike inhabitants. 

Even at the present time large, flat 
stone altars may be seen upon which 
priests formerly offered bloody sacrifices 
to their chief gods, Woden and Thor. 
Among the victims thus offered up to ap- 
pease the gods were numbered prisoners 
of war and seafarers cast up by the waves 
on these hostile shores. 



60 



CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


Very early, however, in the Christian 
era pious Irish monks brought to these 
bleak islands with their wild inhabitants 
the gospel message of Christ, the Saviour 
of mankind. Unfortunately this gospel of 
peace and good will was soon distorted by 
popish abuses and heresies. Massive ruins 
of cloisters and temples still bear witness 
of the former pomp and power of the 
Catholic Church on these islands. 

But even then much of heathen super- 
stition prevailed, especially on the smaller 
islands, whose inhabitants consisted chief- 
ly of fisher folk. Many a burly fisherman, 
who had attended early morning mass and 
had blessed himself with the sign of the 
cross, would steal away to the seashore in 
the starlight of early morning, there to 
offer sacrifices to the sea gods in order 
that he might assure himself of favorable 
winds and a good catch of fish for the day. 

Many another half savage islander 
would kneel among the towering cliffs 
along the shore and invoke the potent 


61 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


gnomes inhabiting the dark caverns of the 
underworld for some small portion of the 
gold these were supposed to have stored 
away in their treasure caves. 

If in tilling his little patch of ground, 
such a man afterwards happened to find 
a gold coin or a tarnished fragment of 
some golden ornament, he would seldom 
neglect to bring the king of the gnomes 
the offering of a hen or a fish as a token 
of gratitude for the find. 

Then came the dawn of the Reforma- 
tion. Even in these wild, secluded regions 
the doctrine of Gods free grace in Christ 
Jesus was everywhere taught, and by many, 
received with gladness. As a result peace, 
prosperity, and a measure of culture be- 
gan to spring up, especially on the larger 
islands. On the smaller islands, however, 
— many of them so small that they are not 
even to be found on the map — the poor, 
ignorant fisher folk still clung to their old 
heathen practices. 

It is from such an island that I now 
62 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


wish to tell a story, the events of which 
took place about two hundred years ago. 

This island is so small that a brisk 
walker might traverse it from end to end 
in less than half a day. On three sides of 
it bare, towering cliffs rise abruptly from 
the sea whose wild billows dash against 
these rocky barriers with never-ending 
roar. But on the south side the island is 
free from cliffs, and here a straggling 
fishing village was located; here, also, the 
fishermen found safe anchorage for their 
boats. The lowly cottages of the village 
were surrounded by meager garden patch- 
es and small stony fields of tilled ground. 
In the shadow of a high cliff stood a crum- 
bling old church, whose tiny bell would 
peal out dolefully whenever the blustering 
winds set it in motion. No one else ever 
troubled himself to ring the bell; for the 
old pastor, who had toiled so long and pa- 
tiently among the fisher folk, had died 
long before without leaving kith or kin 
behind him. Since then no one had felt 


63 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


called upon to sail over to the mainland 
for a new pastor. 

The rough islanders reasoned that there 
was scarcely enough food for themselves; 
why, then, should they burden themselves 
with a pastor to feed and maintain ? It is 
true that the stony soil yielded but a scanty 
harvest, and that the patches of meadow- 
land could support but a few cows and 
sheep. It is also true that of berry bushes 
and fruit trees there was scarcely a trace. 
Nevertheless the islanders were far from 
suffering want. On the contrary abund- 
ance reigned in their lowly cottages, for 
their exhaustless storehouse all the year 
round was the vast sea. 

This furnished them not only with an 
unending supply of fish but also with many 
other useful and valuable articles cast up 
by the waves. 

It frequently happened in these stormy 
regions that vessels were wrecked upon 
the reefs and dashed to pieces by the 
waves. , This was especially true in the 

64 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


time of our story, when ships were neither 
so large nor so well built as in our day. 

Every day of violent storm was there- 
fore an occasion of joyous anticipation and 
feasting for the islanders, who regarded 
all things cast up by the waves as their 
lawful booty. Never a thought did they 
give to the poor shipwrecked people who 
found a watery grave in the deep. If a 
human body was flung upon the beach, it 
was heartlessly thrust back into the waves, 
lest it might come to life and lay claim 
to the treasures supplied by storm and 
billows. 

In vain had the old pastor struggled 
and warned against this cruel practice. 
Only a very few had followed their pas- 
tor's teachings, and these had removed to 
one of the larger islands upon his death. 
Those who remained permitted the old 
church to fall to ruins, and began to as- 
semble on their days of rest at a place of 
quite different nature from a church. 

On the land side of one of the cliffs along 


65 

Patrick’s First Christmas. 5. 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

the shore a steep path wound its perilous 
way upward until it ended at a vaulted 
opening leading into the interior of a cliff. 
Here there was a cavern of considerable 
size, which apparently had been inhabited 
for years, perhaps centuries. The floor 
had been leveled and set with a mosaic of 
stones of various colors. Openings for air 
and light had been hewn in the sides of 
the cliff, affording an extensive outlook 
over sea and sky. 

In this cavern Swerta, a very old woman, 
had made her home for many years. Her 
form was tall and erect, her hair was sil- 
very white, her eyes were startlingly beau- 
tiful, but with a somber glow in their 
depths. 

Only the oldest among the islanders still 
remembered the awful night when a 
mighty tidal wave had destroyed many of 
the fishing boats and even swept away a 
number of cottages nearest the shore. 

That night Swerta, then a buxom young 
wife, had lost not only all her property 
but also her husband and two young sons. 


66 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 

From that time she was plunged into 
the deepest melancholy, and withdrew to 
the lonely cliff cavern. For a time she 
subsisted on the gifts set down at the en- 
trance by people who felt sympathy with 
her. To keep these from penetrating into 
the cavern she had rolled a large rock into 
the opening. 

The good old pastor, then still living, 
had tried time and again to bring her the 
cheer and consolation of Gods holy Word; 
but she persisted in her refusal to see him. 
Sorrow over this brought on the good 
man’s last illness, and the following win- 
ter his poor, tired body was laid to rest 
in a lonely grave among the cliffs. 

Little by little, however, Swerta’s proud 
nature began to rebel against this mode 
of sustaining her life by gifts of charity, 
and she brooded long over some means of 
keeping want and hunger from her door 
without again joining in the islanders’ 
ceaseless struggle for existence, or sharing 
their joys and sufferings with them. 


67 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


A heart that thrusts away from itself 
the consolation of divine and human sym- 
pathy in time grows cold and indifferent 
to all feelings of love and affection. Proud 
Swerta always had been; now she also 
became hard and bitter, and looked with 
contempt upon all who still were able to 
find contentment and happiness in life. 

Those who for a long time surrender 
themselves to passionate grief, and cut 
themselves off from all association with 
their fellowmen, will soon begin to see 
strange sights and hear strange sounds 
which are unreal and the products of their 
own imagination. 

This is what happened to Swerta. 

After having spent the weary hours of 
the day tearfully bemoaning her sad fate, 
she would sit all night long near an open- 
ing in the cavern wall gazing out over the 
wild waves, or up at the sky, sometimes 
covered with threatening clouds, some- 
times sparkling with starry radiance. 

She had been accustomed from child- 


68 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 

m 

hood to study the movement of the stars 
and the ever shifting winds. This now 
became her only and constant occupation. 

Thereafter she began to descend from 
her cavern every morning, and calling the 
fishermen about her, she would predict 
fine weather or storm, a large catch of fish 
or the opposite according to the observa- 
tions that she had made. 

After a time she did not stop at this. 
The fog and mists arising from the sea 
began to appear as spirit forms to her, and 
in the roaring of the storm she seemed 
to hear the hoarse songs of the gods of 
the sea, proclaiming good luck or misfor- 
tune to the children of men. The foaming 
billows were transformed to water spirits 
whose white arms beckoned invitingly or 
warned threateningly. 

All this Swerta imparted to the super- 
stitious fisher folk in vivid words or wild 
songs that captured the imagination of her 
hearers. 

As her predictions were fulfilled with 
69 


PATRICK'S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


increasing regularity, her power and in- 
fluence over the rude islanders steadily 
increased until she virtually became ruler 
of the island. 

She seldom put in an appearance at the 
straggling village by day, but at sunrise 
or in the evening twilight she might often 
be seen wandering about gathering herbs 
from which she prepared the healing po- 
tions for which she was also noted. The 
villagers no longer remembered that she 
had learned this art years before from her 
mother. 

Old and young alike avoided her and 
fearfully gave her a wide berth when they 
saw her approaching chanting some wild 
strain as she proceeded on her way. 

She would never part with her medicines 
without compensation, nor did she ever 
enter a cottage or display any signs of 
friendly interest toward the islanders. 

The children, especially, dreaded her. 
If the tawny-haired youngsters, as some- 
times happened, approached too near her 

70 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


cliff dwelling in their sports, she would 
drive them off with wild cries and threats 
ening motions of her formidable staff. 
Why should these children grow up strong 
and rosy-cheeked when her own darling 
little Olof and her brave Harold had found 
a watery grave? 

As years passed, however, her grief at 
the loss of husband and children gradually 
diminished, only manifesting itself at rare 
intervals when she would retire to her 
cave and remain in seclusion for days at 
a time. At the earnest entreaties of the 
villagers she would finally deign to appear 
again. 

As time passed her cliff dwelling no 
longer remained a bare and desolate cav- 
ern. Strong shutters were fixed to the 
openings in the cliff wall, a soft carpet 
covered the stone floor, gaily colored cush- 
ions were strewn over the benches cut 
from the living rock, and costly furniture 
of all kinds lined the walls and filled the 
recesses of the cavern. 

71 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


When Swerta appeared among the is- 
landers to announce her predictions, she 
no longer wore the coarse homespun com- 
mon to the other women of the island, but 
she wore a peculiar dress of costly foreign 
cloth, and a black veil dotted with golden 
stars fell from her snow-white hair in am- 
ple folds about her form. 

All these treasures came to her from 
the storm-tossed sea. Whenever a ship 
was wrecked upon their rockbound shores, 
it was Swerta’s privilege to pick and choose 
among the wreckage cast up by the waves. 
Whatever she touched with her long staff 
became her property, and woe to the one 
who dared to question her right to the 
same ! 

She also claimed and received a liberal 
allowance of fish and the meager harvests 
of the fields. 

One day the fishermen were thrown into 
violent commotion by the announcement 
from Swerta that a great storm would 
swoop down upon the island before night. 


72 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


A long time had passed since the sea had 
cast anything of value upon their shores. 
Anxiously they inquired if this day was 
destined to gladden their hearts with 
treasures from the deep. 

With proud assurance Swerta replied: 
‘‘The coming storm will yield us a price- 
less treasure destined to become a blessing 
to some and a curse to others.” 

Even the night before, Swerta’s trained 
sense of hearing had caught the first omi- 
nous sounds of the approaching storm, 
and by the aid of a pair of binoculars, 
which she had once rescued from a chest 
cast up "by the waves, she had dimly dis- 
cerned the whitecapped towering billows 
on the distant horizon. 

Rapidly the storm drew near, and soon 
it broke with a mighty roar upon the rock- 
bound shores of the island. Even the 
. sturdy fishermen could with difficulty 
breast the storm's fierce onslaught. But 
Swerta leaning on her staff calmly viewed 
its coming, her long white hair streaming 
in the gale. 


73 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Hark! Was that a cry of distress? 
There it sounds again, more faintly now! 
Slowly the storm abates, but the roaring 
breakers continue to dash against the 
shores. 

Presently a ship can be dimly seen 
pounding itself to pieces upon the outer 
reefs, and soon a shattered mast and some 
battered planks are washed up on the 
beach. Breathlessly the rapacious island- 
ers await the coming of more precious 
spoils. 

Finally the longed for treasures begin 
to appear: a rich and plenteous variety of 
barrels, chests, bales, and implements of 
all kinds. All eyes turn to Swerta. What 
would she select? But all unheeding she 
stands in a dream, her gaze fixed upon the 
tossing billows. 

A wave, larger, fiercer than the rest, 
swept far up on the beach, leaving as it 
receded a white object upon the sands. It 
proved to be the seemingly lifeless body of 
a little girl of about ten years of age. A 


74 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


white woolen dress covered har frail form, 
a mass of golden hair framed her face of 
deathlike pallor, and a glittering bracelet 
circled the wrist of her right arm. 

Instantly the wild men surrounded the 
little form. One of them knelt by her side 
and placed his hand over her heart. 

“She lives !” he whispered; “we cannot 
thrust the body back into the sea, and we 
dare not carry it back and toss it in, for 
that would bring us all bad luck.” 

Slowly and secretly he drew a knife from 
his belt. A thrust, and the poor little heart 
would beat no more! 

But suddenly the fiend checked his hand, 
and with a startled look remained motion- 
less. Peal on peal, clearer and stronger 
than ever before, the little bell in the 
ruined church tower rang out its message 
of warning. Then Swerta stalked for- 
ward and imperiously stretched out her 
staff over the small prone form on the 
sand: 

“The child is my booty !” she cried. 


75 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

“This is the priceless treasure that the 
storm has brought us!” 

Calmly she stooped down, and picking 
up the child she carried it up to her cliff 
dwelling whither no one ventured to fol- 
low her without permission. 

A moment the wild men stood eyeing 
each other in amazement; then with one 
accord they hurled themselves upon the 
booty which in increasing quantity was 
being washed up by the waves. Bales were 
torn apart, chests and casks were opened, 
and soon a fierce scramble arose over the 
precious plunder which consisted of pro- 
visions of all kinds, costly bolts of cloth, 
ready-made garments, spices and other 
merchandise in endless variety. Even the 
women, their hair streaming in the wind, 
rushed in to secure a share in the spoils. 

Unfortunately Swerta was not now 
present to exercise her authority in a fair 
distribution of the booty, and therefore a 
wild fight arose which did not end before 
two men, sorely wounded, were carried 

76 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


from the beach, while the rest returned in 
triumph to their homes, laden with the 
wealth supplied by the waves. 

All the men were agreed, however, that 
for once Swerta had erred in her predic- 
tions. For it was clearly impossible that 
the half-dead child would be a priceless 
treasure destined to become a blessing to 
some and a curse to others. No, the treas- 
ure was but the usual wreckage from the 
sea, this time richer and more abundant, 
it is true, and in so far her prediction had 
come true. 

Respect for the woman with her strange 
powers were so great, however, that no 
one ventured to claim a small chest, the 
contents of which clearly indicated that 
it belonged to the child cast up by the 
waves. Without tampering with the con- 
tents, they placed it before the entrance 
of Swerta’s cavern. 

Within her home Swerta had already 
undressed the little girl, wrapped her in a 
warm blanket, and laid her upon the bed. 


77 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

With skilled though trembling hands she 
set about to restore the child to conscious- 
ness. Finally her efforts were crowned 
with success. The little girl drew a deep 
breath and opened her dark-blue eyes 
only to close them again and sink into a 
deep sleep. 

Long and earnestly Swerta sat gazing 
upon the sleeping child. Her harsh fea- 
tures took on a strange softness. At last 
her hands flew to her face, and hot tears 
found their way between her thin and 
wrinkled fingers. 

“She will live!” she whispered; “and 
though a girl she is so like my own dear 
Olof. The same golden hair, the same 
glorious blue eyes ! But what is she mur- 
muring in her sleep. Ah ! now I catch the 
words of a song from my own childhood 
days: 

‘Inconsolable and stricken 
Is that throbbing heart of thine; 

But a message that can quicken 
Comes to it of love divine ! 


78 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


Heed it, for it brings thee weal, 

Tis a solemn, last appeal: 

Ope thy heart to God, nor fear 
Though eternity draws near.' ” 

“Eternity !” whispered the old woman. 
“Yes, it can’t be far away now ! White is 
my hair, my limbs grow weak, and my 
strength is waning however much I try 
to hide the fact. But alas, how shall I 
open my heart? It died long ago — died 
with my sons and their father !” 

Long she sat thus in deep reflection, her 
wrinkled old face hidden in her hands. 

Suddenly she heard the flutelike voice 
of the child exclaim: 

“Father, dear Father, please give me a 
drink! I am so thirsty, and my head is 
so hot! 0, what a horrid dream I have 
had!” 

But when Swerta leaned over the bed, 
the child started up and cried in terror : 

“Where am I? What has happened? 
Where is my father?” 

“Poor dear!” Swerta replied, “if your 


79 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


father was with you on the ship, he is 
now at the bottom of the sea, for the ves- 
sel was lost in the storm.” 

Stricken to the heart, the child moaned : 

“Then it was not all a bad dream! 0 
Father, my own dear Father — 0, my head, 
how it aches! I can't understand it all!” 

Moaning she wrung her little hands and 
sank back upon the bed where soon her 
surcharged heart found relief in a flood 
of tears. 

Swerta gave the weeping girl a soothing 
potion, whereupon she soon sank into a 
deep sleep. 

“She must have some milk when she 
wakes,” murmured the old woman. “My 
coarse food is not fit for her to eat.” 

Taking a silver pitcher, Swerta hastily 
left her cave only to return presently, her 
pitcher filled with fresh foaming milk. 

But down in the village the women stood 
about in groups eagerly discussing the 
miracle that Swerta had begged for milk 
and had expressed her gratitude for re- 
ceiving it. 


80 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 

A long weary week passed while the 
child lay tossing about in a high fever. 
Tenderly Swerta cared for her, only leav- 
ing her side to fetch the things necessary 
for her comfort. The greater part of the 
time the child lay as in a trance, but when 
she occasionally regained consciousness, 
she would weep heart-breaking tears for 
her father, for the stately ship, and for 
the brave men who had gone down in it; 
and though Swerta's heart went out to her, 
she was yet to learn the secret of speaking 
words of comfort and cheer. 

At last, one bright morning, the girl 
awoke free from fever and eagerly drank 
the mug of milk given her. As she handed 
back the mug, she threw her small white 
arms lovingly about the old woman's neck. 

“Let me love you," she pleaded. “My 
father is gone, my brother Fergus is far 
away, and I must have someone to love or 
it will break my heart!" 

Swerta made no reply, but pressed the 
child so closely to her bosom that she could 
feel the throbbing of her loving heart. 

81 


Patrick’s First Christmas. 6. 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 

Long they sat thus holding each other 
in close embrace; then the old woman, 
gently laid the girl upon the bed murmur- 
ing: 

“You have found the key to my heart, 
little one — I do love yout God be praised 
that I am still capable of love!” 

From that moment Brenda, for such was 
the child's name, grew rapidly better. She 
was soon able to leave her bed and put on 
some of her pretty clothes which Swerta 
had taken from her chest rescued from 
the sea. 

My father was a merchant and made 
many journeys on his ship,” Brenda in- 
formed her old friend and protectress. 
“Far away from here we lived in a fine 
home, not on an island but on the main- 
land. My own dear mother died long, long 
ago. My brother Fergus lives in a large 
city where he is attending college, but I 
was often permitted to accompany my 
dear father on his sea voyages, for he 
loved me dearly.” 


82 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 

Sometimes the little girl forgot her sor- 
row, gazed curiously upon the strange fit- 
tings of the cliff dwelling, and amused 
herself with the many gay and strange 
trinkets to be found there. But she would 
soon grow serious again, and stand looking 
out over the sea through the window 
openings cut in the cliff, while tears 
dimmed her eyes or flowed unchecked 
down her wan cheeks. 

“Tell me something about the beauties 
of heaven,” she begged of her strange pro- 
tectress. “My father is up there in heaven 
with God and the Saviour — of that I am 
very sure.” 

“You are fortunate to know that,” 
Swerta sighed. “As for me, I have long 
ago forgotten all I ever knew about such 
things.” 

“Then you must read about them in my 
Bible which lies in the chest,” Brenda 
urged. 

“I am afraid I have forgotten how to 
read; in fact, I never could read very 
well,” Swerta admitted. 

83 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


“Let me read to you,” Brenda begged. 
“I am sure that it will drive away the 
sadness from your heart.” 

And so Brenda fetched a well bound 
copy of the New Testament, and there in 
the gloomy witch's cave she began to read 
the beautiful stories of Jesus the friend 
of sinners. Every day Brenda would read 
to her until Swerta began to feel that God 
had indeed sent the lovely child with the 
key to unlock her old hardened heart to 
the saving truths of time and eternity. 

Meanwhile the short but beautiful sum- 
mer had come to the island. The tranquil 
sea shimmered in the sun, green grass and 
meadow flowers sprang up as if by magic, 
and the barefooted children of the fisher- 
folk romped in merry sport about the 
island. 

Then Swerta began to lead her little 
ward out of the gloomy cavern into the 
open in order that Brenda's pale cheeks 
might regain their rosy bloom and her 
young heart might become bright and gay 
again. 


84 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


Timidly the half-wild children gazed 
upon the beautiful, strange girl; and they 
secretly wondered why Swerta no longer 
chased them away with angry looks and 
harsh words. 

Before long a few of the bravest chil- 
dren ventured to approach the beautiful 
stranger, bringing gifts of flowers, shells, 
or colored stones. Then, one day, Brenda 
left the side of her protectress and began 
to mingle with the children in their sports, 
where she soon assumed the part of a little 
queen among them, but a queen full of 
love and kindness. 

What splendid, merry games Brenda 
taught them! And how sweet her voice 
as she sang to them song upon song which 
she patiently taught them to sing also! 

But Brenda was not always in a mood 
to join in their' sports. Sometimes she 
appeared among her playmates with pale 
face and tear-dimmed eyes. 

“To-day,” she would say, “my heart is 
not on earth but in heaven with my father 


85 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


and mother, and I would cry without ceas- 
ing if I could not find consolation in this 
book. Come, gather around me, if you 
wish to hear what God has to say to us.” 

The wild and thoughtless among the 
children would make their escape to clam- 
ber among the cliffs or wade in the shal- 
lows along the beach ; but the more serious 
minded among them would form a circle 
around Brenda as she sat on a high moss 
covered rock reading from her Bible, and 
in her childish way telling them wonderful 
stories about the Saviour of all mankind. 

It often happened that the elders also 
drew near to listen to Brenda who with 
eyes raised to heaven would speak to them 
as one divinely inspired. Her own deep 
grief and her daily communing with 
Swerta had put a stamp of thoughtful 
seriousness upon her youthful mind. 

Swerta, too, was greatly changed. She 
had begun to practice reading, an art 
which she had but sparingly acquired in 
her girlhood from the old pastor, and in 


86 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 

which she now to her great joy grew daily 
more proficient. 

Eagerly she read and pondered the in- 
spired words, and she discovered much in 
them that the child was as yet not able 
to grasp. 

But alas for her peace of mind! Swer- 
ta’s soul was filled with deep remorse over 
the life she had led these many long years. 
Much, yes, almost all of what she had said 
and done appeared to her now in the light 
of this wonderful book as delusion and 
folly, nay, even as willful deceit on her 
part. 

As time passed the fishermen began to 
complain that Swerta was becoming en- 
tirely useless to them. Only at rare inter- 
vals now did she make predictions as to 
wind and weather, and there was now 
none of her former boastful assurance, for 
she always ended her prognostications 
with the words, “if it be God's will.” 

This sorely displeased the rough fisher- 
men, and they began to withhold from the 


87 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


old woman her customary share of sup- 
plies, until she would have suffered actual 
want, had not the other women of the 
island for sweet Brenda’s sake smuggled 
supplies of food and drink to them. 

One day the report was spread among 
the villagers that Swerta would appear to 
them shortly before sunset and that she 
had important declarations to make. Old 
and young alike were on hand at the ap- 
pointed time, curious to hear what she 
could have to tell them. 

She appeared before them in her usual 
gorgeous dress, the star-dotted veil billow- 
ing about her form, and the wellknown 
staff in her hand. Close beside her stood 
Brenda clinging to her hand. 

She began to speak with great solem- 
nity: 

“Once more I have summoned you to 
meet me that I may remove the veil from 
all my mysterious sayings and doings these 
many years, even as I now remove this 
veil from my head.” 


88 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 

So saying she let fall the veil and stood 
uncovered before them, her thin white 
hair fluttering in the breeze. 

“Behold my white hair,” she continued. 
“See my shrunken cheeks and my trem- 
bling hands! My time on earth is short; 
eternity for me is near. And on Eternity's 
mighty throne sits One whose eyes are as 
flaming fire, before which there is no con- 
cealment, no deception. To His piercing 
eyes the secret thoughts and counsels of 
the heart are manifest. Before I leave you 
forever it is therefore my desire to unbur- 
den my soul of all those things which can- 
not endure in the presence of the Almighty. 
Listen, my friends! For years I have de- 
ceived you and myself. And this I have 
done, not to do you harm, but because of 
my proud, unbending spirit, and because 
of the power and influence I thus gained 
. over you. All that I have told you of 
storms and sunshine, of raging billows, of 
heat and cold, you might have learned for 
yourselves by heeding and studying the 


89 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


numerous signs that God has given for our 
guidance in the sky and on land and sea. 
In the days of the old sea kings my cliff 
dwelling was, no doubt, a lookout point 
from which such observations were made, 
for there is no better place to view the sky 
and the mighty sea that surrounds us on 
all sides. But this I will say, that no man 
can with absolute certainty predict the 
changes in wind and weather except the 
Blessed One of whom men exclaimed, 
‘What manner of man is this, that even 
the wind and the sea obey him/ — As for 
the voices I have heard and the visions I 
have seen, these have all been products of 
my own disordered fancy. It is true that 
I believed in these things myself, but my 
conscience often told me that by these 
means I was abusing my power over you. 
And I will now confess to you that all 
these years my heart has been cold and 
void of love, that I have been unhappy 
and discontented despite my position of 
influence among you. All last winter my 


90 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


anguish of soul increased, for I felt eter- 
nity drawing near, and many of the things 
I had heard in my girlhood in the church 
yonder kept recurring to me and filled me 
with a spirit of unrest. Then God took 
pity on me and sent Brenda to our shores. 
The night before her coming I had seen 
and heard her in my dreams as an angel 
of light speaking words of solemn warn- 
ing. You know what this child has meant 
to us all and what a change she has 
wrought in my life in unlocking my stub- 
born heart to divine truth. And now I 
lay aside all the power I have won over 
you even as I lay aside this gorgeous dress 
which has been a symbol of that power.” 

A few swift motions and the costly dress 
fell to Swerta’s feet, who now stood before 
them in the simple coarse dress of a fisher- 
woman. 

“See,” she continued, “I am now but a 
poor, helpless old woman. If you will 
come to my cave, I will gladly teach you 
all that long observation and study has 


91 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


taught me about the starry sky and its 
influence on wind and weather. I will 
also instruct you in the healing properties 
of various herbs, and as reward only ask 
of you sufficient food for myself and 
Brenda. And now give heed to this my 
last advice to you! Send your strongest 
boat to the larger islands, or better still, 
to the mainland and tell there the story of 
the shipwreck and the rescued child, in 
order that this information may be spread 
far and wide. Request also that a pious 
pastor may be sent to us to prepare our 
souls for the life to come. I pray God 
that I may live to see the day when this 
dear little girl may leave our barren shores 
and be restored to a brother’s arms and 
when the little bell in the ruined church 
tower shall call you together to hear the 
gospel of Jesus Christ.” 

Thus spoke Swerta, and waving fare- 
well to the assembly, she directed her fee- 
ble steps, supported by Brenda, to her 
cavern home. 


92 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


Deeply moved, the majority of those 
present departed for their homes. A few 
of the rougher element remained, and 
after consulting together they decided to 
leave the island as soon as possible and 
seek a wilder and more secluded island 
where they, undisturbed by pastor or fool- 
ish women, might gather in their harvests 
from the deep. 

The very next day the men began to 
repair the large boat which of late years 
had been seldom used. But it was late in 
the fall before the old boat was made sea- 
worthy and the fishermen could start upon 
their perilous journey to the mainland. 

Anxiously their home-coming was a- 
waited, and it was a day of great rejoicing 
when the boat was sighted and finally 
beached, laden with a variety of supplies 
for the winter, for the purchase of which 
Swerta had sacrificed a part of her treas- 
ures. 

The brave sailors related how kindly 
they had been received on the mainland 

93 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


and how every effort had been made there 
to spread the report of the shipwreck and 
the rescued child. They also brought home 
the good news that a God-fearing pastor 
would be sent them as soon as possible. 

The long winter that followed passed 
uneventfully. There was little of wreck- 
age cast up by the sea, but what little was 
secured was fairly divided, for the rougher 
element had ere this vanished to parts un- 
known. To these the advent of Brenda 
had indeed been a curse, for they had 
hardened and closed their hearts to the 
voice of God. 

During the long winter evenings Swerta 
had many visitors whom she, according to 
promise, instructed in all her lore. The 
women and children gathered about Bren- 
da to hear her read from the Good Book to 
them. 

As the days began to lengthen, Swerta’s 
strength gradually decreased until she had 
to spend most of her time in bed. Brenda 
never left her side except to perform the 

94 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


necessary duties of their simple household. 
But when the weary old woman closed her 
eyes in sleep, Brenda would take her stand 
by one of the windows and gaze yearningly 
out over the sea whence she longed for a 
message from her far-away home. 

The fisherfolk, too, were longing for 
their new pastor. They repaired the di- 
lapidated church and scoured the rusty old 
bell until it sent its joyous peal over sea 
and cliff, strong and clear as of old. Hard 
by the church they erected a new cottage, 
neater and roomier than the others, for 
the coming pastor. For this new cottage 
it was Swerta’s delight to supply most of 
the necessary furnishings. 

Summer came at last, and with it 
warmth and sunshine. The deep blue sky 
smiled down upon the island filling all 
hearts with gladness. 

“Brenda dear,” begged Swerta, “lead 
me once more out under the open sky. Not 
many times more shall I behold the beau- 
ties of this life.” 


95 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Supported by Brenda, she tottered fee- 
bly down the cliff path to gaze once more 
out over the wide sea. To-day her eyes 
were bright and sparkling as of old. 

“Don’t you see something out there?” 
she suddenly asked, pointing with her staff 
toward the sea. “There, where the blue 
sky seems to touch the silvery surface of 
the sea!” 

“No, I see nothing,” Brenda replied 
gently. 

“But now, now!” Swerta cried. “You 
must see it now ! It’s the mast of a large 
vessel !” 

Brenda gazed intently over the gleam- 
ing waters. 

“Now I see it !” she cried at last as she 
grasped Swerta’s hand. “It grows clearer 
and larger every moment, and I do believe 
that it is coming to our island !” 

“Run and ring the bell,” she cried, “so 
that all the villagers may gather at this 
place. But first lead me to yonder rock 
where I may sit and view their coming.” 


96 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


Quickly Brenda executed her orders, 
and soon men, women, and children could 
be seen joyously gathering upon the beach. 

Nearer and nearer came the large 
stately vessel. As a giant swan the ship 
skimmed over the glassy sea, a light breeze 
filling its snow-white sails. 

But the small harbor with its submerged 
reefs was fit for fishing boats only ; there- 
fore the stately ship had to cast anchor 
far from shore and lie there gently rock- 
ing on the waves. 

A large boat was lowered from the ship. 
Several men clambered down the rope lad- 
der and various boxes and bales were also 
lowered, after which the boat set out for 
the shore. Brenda's heart throbbed loudly. 
Would she receive a message from her 
brother? 

As the boat approached the island, one 
of its occupants arose in the prow and 
looked eagerly toward the shore. He was 
a youth scarcely emerged from boyhood, 
his abundant light hair fluttering in the 
wind. 

97 

Patrick’s First Christmas. 7. 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

A minute or two more of heart-breaking 
suspense — then Brenda darted down the 
beach crying: "Fergus, my brother! My 
darling brother !” 

Soon brother and sister were clasped in 
close embrace, while tears of joy and sor- 
row coursed down their cheeks. 

Swerta’s feelings, too, were overpow- 
ered at this meeting. She swayed and 
would have fallen from the rock, had not 
some women supported her. Tenderly 
Swerta was carried to the cavern, and 
soon Fergus and Brenda were sitting at 
her bedside. 

Fergus related how he had mourned 
both father and sister as dead until the 
news of the castaway on the northern 
island had reached him, when he made im- 
mediate preparations to bring his sister 
back home. 

"I have left college now,” he continued, 
"and returned to our home. It has seemed 
empty and desolate since the great mis- 
fortune, but now, dear Brenda, you will 


98 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


again bring sunshine into the dear old 
home. Our good Aunt Ursulla, who has 
been a mother to us for years, is eagerly 
longing to take you to her heart again. 
As for me, I am learning to become an 
experienced merchant under the guidance 
of Duncan who, as you know, was father's 
right hand man. I will soon be of age and 
ready to take over our large business in- 
terests. May God help me to carry them 
forward to the honor and glory of His 
name! And you, my sweet sister, I will 
keep and guard as the apple of my eye." 

While Brenda was preparing a simple 
meal for her brother, and Swerta’s feeble 
eyes were shifting from sister to brother 
with loving interest, the fisherfolk were 
greeting and welcoming their new pastor, 
a young sturdy man, whose lovely wife 
had accompanied him to this far-away 
charge. Both were willing to share weal 
and woe with the islanders and to devote 
all their strength and talents for their 
temporal and spiritual welfare. 


99 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


The ship remained at anchor for three 
days. Then at the moment of parting 
Fergus and Brenda kneeled at Swerta’s 
side to receive her final blessing. 

Warmly and with swimming eyes Bren- 
da kissed the shrunken cheeks of her kind 
old friend and protectress. 

“Who will care for you now when I 
depart?” Brenda sobbed. 

“I will need no one's care,” Swerta 
whispered. “Eternity is very near to me.” 

Meanwhile the pastor’s wife had en- 
tered the cavern unnoticed, and as brother 
and sister departed hand in hand, she 
seated herself by the dying old woman’s 
side. 

Brenda’s parting with the islanders con- 
sumed a great deal of time — at least so 
thought the captain of the ship. Another 
kiss, another hand clasp — such were the 
eager demands of one and all. Then there 
were little remembrances pressed upon 
Brenda from all sides, and innumerable 
requests for one more verse from the pre- 

100 


CAST UP FROM THE SEA 


cious Book as a word of farewell. But at 
last the boat was shoved from the sands, 
and presently it reached the ship. As the 
anchor was raised and the sails hoisted, 
farewell hails were heard from the island, 
while from the ship fluttering handker- 
chiefs sent a parting greeting. But sud- 
denly all was still. The measured, solemn 
tolling of the church bell was borne across 
the waves. The young pastor was ringing 
the requiem for the departed soul of 
Swerta. She had entered into eternity. 



101 



Christmas Eve 


ECEMBER days had come at last. 
The first snow had fallen and had 
decked the pines and firs of the 
extensive forest in their glistening Christ- 
mas finery. Even the forester’s cottage 
in the great clearing had put on a pic- 
turesque appearance. Six rosy-cheeked 
children stood before the cottage door ex- 
pectantly looking down the road, where a 
sleigh had made its way through the deep 
snow. For the father had departed for 
the railway station to bring home their 
oldest brother who had been away to 
school in a distant city. 

“It takes so long, and I am so cold!” 
wailed Otto, the youngest, rubbing his 
numb little hands briskly. 


102 




CHRISTMAS EVE 


“Go in then, and look out through the 
window with mother,” advised Marie, his 
gentle sister, a girl of fourteen. 

“No, no !” protested Otto. “Walter must 
see at once that I am big now and wear 
pants. When he was home last year, I 
still wore a girl's dress. But 0, my hands 
are frozen stiff !” 

“Come, stick them under my apron, and 
let me blow on them,” urged Marie draw- 
ing the little one to her side. 

“Listen, listen!” cried the boisterous 
Fritz. “I hear the sleigh bells. They 
come, they come! Back, Fido! Down, 
Sultan !” 

But the two splendid hunting dogs this 
time failed to obey their young master, but 
raced away down the road, barking joy- 
ously. 

Now the mother also stepped out through 
the door, followed by the faithful old maid 
servant, who eagerly awaited her darling 
boy and now stood there with folded hands 
as if in prayer. Of course all the children 


103 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

had a warm place in her heart, but Walter, 
so manly and kind, whom she had rocked 
in his cradle and carried in her arms six- 
teen years ago, surely he was the best of 
them all — yes, the best lad in all the world ! 
He had always been a fine boy, and the 
only black-haired one among a troop of 
red-cheeked, yellow-haired children. But 
now, alas, he was ailing and had been sent 
home to rest up for a time. Constant 
study was not good for anyone — so Lottie, 
the faithful maid, had always declared, 
though no one would ever listen to her. 
Now she was secretly determined to carry 
him into the house if he was too weak to 
walk. She was strong enough to do it, 
she felt sure! But see! He leaps nimbly 
from the sleigh and is soon in his mother’s 
close embrace, while the other children are 
jumping merrily about him. When each 
of them had received a kiss, Lottie, too, 
received a hearty hug from the lad, whose 
cheeks, she sorrowfully observed, were 
pale in spite of the bracing winter air, and 

104 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


whose hands were thin and bony. Her 
mistress had told Lottie that Walter was 
suffering from a nervous breakdown, 
whatever that might be. They did have 
such queer ailments in the city — ailments 
unheard of in the fresh open air of the 
country ! 

But now for warm soup and the two 
chickens that had sacrificed their lives in 
honor of Walter's home-coming ! At Wal- 
ter's request even Lottie had to take her 
place at table, that she too might listen to 
his account of school life experiences. But 
the father soon cut short the lively narra- 
tive when he noticed that his son's cheeks 
began to glow and his eyes to burn fever- 
ishly. Both parents conducted him up to 
the pleasant chamber which had been pre- 
pared for him. With deep feeling Walter 
observed that it had been furnished with 
the best that the house afforded. There 
near the window stood his mother's own 
writing desk. In a cozy corner he ob- 
served his sainted grandfather's comfort- 


105 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

able armchair. And on the wall hung his 
favorite picture to which he had stretched 
out his arms even as a little child. It had 
then been the chief ornament of the nurs- 
ery. The picture represented the Christ- 
child in the manger upon which two bright 
angels were looking through an open win- 
dow. Gratefully Walter pressed the hands 
of his parents, and then after a moment's 
hesitation he asked: 

“Where are all the old books that used 
to stand on the shelves in the cupboard? 
I had rather counted on them to pass away 
the time with." 

“Locked away, my boy," replied the 
father. “You are not to read a single 
word! When the weather is fine, you are 
to roam about in the woods. In bad weath- 
er you will, no doubt, find something in 
the drawer of the writing desk to occupy 
your time." 

Walter opened the desk and his eyes 
sparkled with pleasure, for the drawer 


106 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


contained all the needful articles for draw- 
ing and painting. 

“I knew that it would please you,” the 
father remarked ; “and were you not a lit- 
tle artist long before you had any inten- 
tions of becoming a scholar?” 

“A little, a very little of both, Fm a- 
fraid,” answered Walter blushing. 

Winter days soon came when even the 
robust brothers found difficulty in mak- 
ing their way to school through storm and 
snow, and Walter could leave the house 
only on rare occasions. But time did not 
hang heavy on his hands, for a great plan 
was shaping itself in his active mind. His 
plan was nothing less than to celebrate 
Christmas in a more splendid manner 
than they had ever celebrated it before. 

With trembling hands he began to paint 
enlarged copies of the figures in his fa- 
vorite picture. The angels, he planned, 
should hover over the manger, supported 
by fine invisible wires. Of course Joseph 
and Mary must also be present, and these 


107 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


he succeeded to paint after many discour- 
aging failures. When all was ready, Wal- 
ter permitted the other children to come 
up into his chamber to view the results of 
his labors. How amazed they were at the 
artistic skill of their brother! Never be- 
fore had anything so beautiful and grand 
been seen in their forest home! 

“Now listen to me,” commanded Wal- 
ter; “and whatever you do, don’t utter a 
word of this to our parents! We are go- 
ing to prepare a beautiful Christmas cele- 
bration. I am going to build a small sta- 
ble and deck it with fir branches. Through 
the window of the stable will be seen 
sparkling stars shining in a sky made of 
blue oilpaper, just as in the picture. The 
angels will gaze through the window, and 
Joseph and Mary will stand reverently by 
the manger. Your part will be to learn to 
recite and sing a number of beautiful 
Christmas songs. On Christmas Eve one 
of us, arrayed as an angel, must invite our 
parents to our Christmas celebration and 
escort them up to this room.” 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


‘Til be the angel !" cried Fritz excitedly. 

“You'll be the clown, now as always!" 
retorted Otto quickly, hiding himself be- 
hind his sister in order to escape the an- 
ger of his madcap brother, who threatened 
him with his fists. 

“Stop that!" cried Walter sternly. 
“There’ll be no fighting here! Don’t you 
remember the angel’s song: ‘Peace on 
earth ?’ Marie is best fitted to prepare the 
white robes of an angel, and I will make a 
pair of beautiful golden wings. You oth- 
ers will represent the shepherd and the 
three wise men and recite verses appro- 
priate to the parts you play. Every after- 
noon after school you will gather here to 
practice your pieces and songs. At that 
hour father is never home, as you know 
he makes his daily round through the deer 
park at that time. 

“But mother will hear us sing," Otto 
objected. 

“That makes no difference. She will en- 
joy our celebration anyway," Walter de- 
clared. 


109 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


“Our Walter must surely be a magi- 
cian !” the mother declared to her husband 
a few days later. “You know how the 
children always lag and banter over their 
studies. But now the entire flock scarcely 
give themselves time to eat their supper 
before they sit down quiet as mice to their 
books and slates in order to get up to Wal- 
ter's chamber as soon as possible." 

“What business have they up there?" 
the father inquired. “They should leave 
him in peace!" 

“0, I suppose it's some secret, and I'm 
sure they will do Walter no harm!" the 
mother declared. “You see yourself how 
strong and active he's growing, and how 
he roams about outdoors whenever the 
weather permits." 

Yes, all were very busy indeed — that 
is, all but Lottie, who seemed to have a 
sudden desire to escape from her work, as 
she made frequent requests for permis- 
sion to visit her relatives in the village, in 
whom she ordinarily showed very little in- 


110 


CHRISTMAS EVE 

terest. She would take the heavy sledge 
used to transport wood and Christmas 
trees to town and when she returned, she 
had with her a number of mysterious 
packages which immediately vanished in- 
to Walter's chamber. 

At last all the preparations were made, 
and Christmas Eve, a day of universal re- 
joicing and gladness, arrived. In former 
years the children's joy had found expres- 
sion in boisterous and noisy demonstra- 
tions so that the mother had to take them 
to task and remind them of the solemnity 
and sanctity of the Christmas miracle. 
But now there was no need of this. All 
the children seemed to have caught the 
spirit of the day. Happiness of a subdued 
and quiet nature reigned supreme, and all 
were actuated by a desire to help in the 
Christmas preparations. They were de- 
termined that the little mother should 
have all her work done in good time, so 
that she might share in the joyful surprise 
prepared by them. All day a light snow 


111 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

had fallen, but when the forester returned 
from his inspection of the deer park, the 
sky had cleared and an evening star 
gleamed brightly over his home. The 
words of holy writ occurred to him : 
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced 
with exceeding great joy. And when they 
were come into the house, they saw the 
young child with Mary his mother — .” 
Thereupon he folded his weatherbeaten 
hands and prayed softly: “Come also into 
my house, thou Saviour of the world ! En- 
ter into our hearts, that we may all at last 
enter into thy mansions in heaven above !” 

How quiet all things were! In former 
years the merry troop of children had run 
to meet him, crying: “Father, how soon 
will it begin? Will you light the Christ- 
mas tree now?” But to-day the mother 
sat alone beside the lamp in the large, 
neatly tidied living room. A gaily decked 
Christmas tree stood ready to be lighted, 
and about its base lay a heap of Christmas 
presents for the children. 


112 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


“Where are the little folks?” asked the 
forester wonderingly. 

“They are all up in Walter's chamber. 
Let them be; they are so happy and have 
been so good and helpful all day. Come, 
put on your jacket and slippers, and eat 
your supper.” 

While the father was partaking of hot 
coffee and a large piece of Christmas cake, 
his eyes rested upon the modest little heap 
of presents. 

“A rather scanty pile this year,” he re- 
marked sadly. “Gladly would I have giv- 
en you more money for presents, but it 
was impossible!” 

“Don’t worry about that,” said his wife 
soothingly. “The sooner the children 
learn to find in the Christ-child their 
greatest happiness, the better it will be 
for them. Listen, someone is knocking at 
the door! Visitors on Christmas Eve in 
this retired nook — that has never hap- 
pened to us before.” 

The door flew open, and a very lively, 
113 


Patrick’s First Christmas. 8 . 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


unexpected visitor stepped into the room: 
an angel with a happy, smiling face ; 
golden hair, a long white robe and shining 
wings. The angel held aloft a fir branch 
with a sparkling candle burning at its lip. 
Although the parents in the heavenly mes- 
senger recognized their nine year old Hel- 
en, yet the lovely sight brought tears of 
happiness to their eyes. In silvery ac- 
cents the angel spoke the following lines : 

“Ring out, sweet song, triumphant, clear 
Your melody for all to hear; 

As sings the sweet-toned nightingale, 

The lark, the rising sun to hail. 

Resound, 0 song, in accents sweet 
The coming of God's Son to greet ! 

He comes, the Christ Child, full of love 
To save us to His home above. 

Let all the world rejoice and sing 
In honor of our Lord and King ! 

The Babe born unto us this day 
Once in a lowly manger lay. 

And would you see Him, follow me ; 

He dwells e'en under your rooftree; 

And in your hearts He'd dwell with you 
And be your Friend and Saviour true." 

114 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


With an inviting motion of the hand, 
the heavenly messenger conducted the 
parents up the stairs; Lottie following 
with folded hands and beating heart. The 
door to Walter’s chamber flew open, and 
a flood of light greeted their coming. The 
three were assigned seats in front of a 
curtain that concealed a part of the room. 
Behind this curtain the angel disappeared, 
and Walter’s clear voice was heard recit- 
ing: 

“And it came to pass in those days that 
there went out a decree from Caesar Au- 
gustus, that all the world should be taxed. 
And this taxing was first made when Cy- 
renius was governor of Syria. And all 
went to be taxed, every one into his own 
city. And Joseph also went up from Gali- 
lee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Ju- 
daea, unto the city of David, which is called 
Bethlehem, because he was of the house 
and lineage of David, to be taxed with 
Mary his espoused wife.” 

As the last words were being read the 


115 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


seven year old twins, Theo and Anna, 
stepped from behind the curtain, clad in 
simple frocks, and carrying bundles on 
their shoulders, and supporting their steps 
with a staff, clearly representing Joseph 
and Mary arrived at their journey's end. 
Facing each other they recited: 

MARY 

“Dear Joseph, tell me where we may 
Find rest and shelter for this day." 

JOSEPH 

“Dear Virgin, I have heard men say 
There's a stable where we may 
Find rest and shelter for this day." 

MARY 

“Dear Joseph, tell me where I may 
Find a place my Child to lay." 

JOSEPH 

“Dear Virgin, lowly manger may 

Be the cradle where to lay 

The blessed Child to rest this day." 

MARY 

“Dear Joseph, 0, where shall I find 
Swaddling clothes my Child to wind?" 

116 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


JOSEPH 

“Blessed Virgin, thou wilt find • 

Linens, old and coarse, to wind 
Snug the Saviour of mankind.” 

MARY 

“On the morrow where shall we 
Find shelter and security?” 

JOSEPH 

“In the heav’ns above, my dear, 

Where God’s angels hover near.” 

Thereupon the two disappeared behind 
the curtain, which parted wide in the mid- 
dle, revealing a stable decked with ever- 
green. 0 how beautiful the Christ Child 
appeared as he lay in the manger watched 
over by Joseph and Mary and a host of 
angels suspended from fine wires or peep- 
ing forth from among the evergreen 
branches! Cattle and donkeys also could 
be seen. 

Again a voice was heard reciting: 
“While they were there, the days were 
accomplished that she should be delivered. 
And she brought forth her first born son. 


117 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 


and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, 
and laid him in a manger; because there 
was no room for them in the inn.” 

While these words were being read the 
three youngest children approached the 
manger and sang: 

“We pray Thee now, 0 grant that we, 
Sweet Christ Child dear, 

May hear Thy voice, may speak with 
Thee !” 

From behind the curtain the answer 
came: 

“Sing, little children, sing!” 

“Pray tell us why upon this earth, 

Sweet Christ Child dear, 

We find Thee here of human birth?” 

“Because of love divine!” 

“Art Thou not God Almighty, why, 

Sweet Christ Child dear, 

As babe in arms dost Thou then lie?” 

“Because of love divine!” 

“Why must Thou in a stable dwell, 

Sweet Christ Child dear, 

When all the world is Thine; pray tell?” 

118 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


“Because of love divine !” 

“Why do men scorn and hate Thee so, 
Sweet Christ Child dear, 

And why so humble, we would know?” 

“Because of love divine!” 

“And for such love divine can we, 

Sweet Christ Child dear, 

Give aught in recompense to Thee?” 

“Your hearts' true love alone!” 

“Our hearts' true love is Thine.” 

“Then are ye truly mine!” 

For a moment all the little ones van- 
ished behind the curtain only to reappear 
as Walter's voice was heard again recit- 
ing: 

“And there were in the same country 
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping 
watch over their flock by night. And, lo, 
the angel of the Lord came up on them, and 
the glory of the Lord shone round about 
them ; and they were sore afraid.” 

Upon these words the angel that had 


119 


PATRICKS FIRST CHRISTMAS 

summoned the parents stepped forth and 
spoke : 

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good 
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all 
people. For unto you is born this day, in 
the city of David, a Saviour, which is 
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign 
unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped 
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” 

Then all the children, with the parents 
joining in, sang: 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on 
earth peace, good will toward men!” 

Grouping themselves about the manger, 
the children then sang softly: 

“Silent night, Holy night, 

All is calm, all is bright. 

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child, 
Holy infant so tender and mild, 

Sleep in heavenly peace, 

Sleep in heavenly peace. 

Silent night, Holy night, 

Shepherds quake at the sight, 

Glories stream from heaven afar, 

120 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia; 

Christ, the Savior is born! 

Christ, the Savior is born! 

Silent night. Holy night, 

Son of God, love's pure light 
Radiant beams from Thy holy face, 
With the dawn of redeeming grace, 
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth! 

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!' 

When the little shepherds had with- 
drawn behind the curtain, there was a 
brief delay while swift changes of cos- 
tume were taking place; but before long 
a girlish voice was raised in song: 

“A gleaming star three wise men, 
Who mighty kings were styled, 

Led from the land of sunrise 
Unto a newborn Child. 

They brought Him gifts untold, 

And tendered Him with homage 
Their incense, myrrh, and gold." 

During the singing a large golden star 
could be seen slowly rising amidst the 
evergreen branches overshadowing the 


121 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


stable, until it came to rest “over where 
the young child was.” From behind the 
curtain then appeared a splendid com- 
pany : Fritz, Rudolph, and Theo with 
golden crowns on their heads, and clad in 
purple robes, which the mother recognized 
as the old draperies of her guest chamber. 
Theo’s blond head had been entirely con- 
cealed by an old black veil in which holes 
had been cut for the eyes. As little Otto 
had stoutly insisted upon taking part in 
the royal procession, he had been dressed 
in the white robe of a page, and appeared 
holding up the trailing mantle of King 
Theo. Before the manger the kings made 
reverent obeisance, and kneeling they pre- 
sented on golden platters their precious 
gifts to the Christ Child. The platters 
were made of cardboard and covered with 
gold paper and were the product of the 
joint labors of Walter and Marie. Behind 
the curtain a voice now recited : 

“Three mighty kings God's loving hand 
Led with a star from Orient land 


122 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


Through kingly, great Jerusalem 
To lowly Child in Bethlehem. — 

Lord, lead us to this Child, that we 
May be Thine own, and serve but Thee! 

On bended knee they homage paid 
Unto the Child in manger laid. 

With precious gifts they Him adore: 
Gold, incense, myrrh, a plenteous store! — 
0 God, accept from us our all: 

Heart, life, soul, goods — the gift is small! 

And Mary, ere the kings did part, 

Gave her sweet Child unto each heart 
To be a manna on their way, 

A guide to lead them night and day. — 
God, give to us this bread, this guide ! 

In life, in death with us abide.” 

Then the kings rose to their feet, and 
joined by the other children, struck up in 
full chorus their mother's favorite song: 

“Morning Star, from out the night, 

Thou dost make the world all bright! 
Christ Child dear, be Thou near, 

Light me on life's journey here! 

0, the glory of Thy light 
Far transcends the sun so bright ! 

123 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Child divine, splendors Thine 
More than thousand suns outshine. 

And Thy cheering beacon light 
Will we follow through the night. 
Beaming Star, near and far 
Thine all praise and honor are ! 

0 my soul's bright Beacon, glow 
In my heart, nor dimmer grow! 

Christ Child dear, be Thou near, 

Light me on life's journey here!" 

At the last words of the song the cur- 
tain closed, and the children thronged a- 
bout their parents with loving manifesta- 
tions of joy and gladness. 

“Wasn’t it all grand!" cried little Theo. 

1 am a real black Moor, let me tell you, 
and I intend to remain so all evening. 
Look out, Lottie, or I'll scare you to 
death!" 

“No, no, my child !" spoke the father so- 
berly. “I know that it was all a play, but 
a play of solemn, sacred import, which 
must not be permitted to end in jest and 
frolic. The Moorish king did not think 

124 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


about that he was black. His whole heart 
and soul were directed to the Christ Child. 
Do you follow his example, my Theo. My 
dear children, you have given us great 
pleasure. Come downstairs now and re- 
joice in the gifts of the Christ Child to 
you.” 

Merrily they laid aside their disguises 
and were soon assembled about the shin- 
ing Christmas tree. With loving fore- 
thought the parents had anticipated the 
dearest wish of each of their children. 

“Look!” cried Fritz. “Rudolph and I 
have each a company of soldiers. Mine 
have red uniforms and his blue. What 
battles we will wage these long winter 
evenings! Yd a thousand times rather 
have these than a chessboard!” 

“And I have the skates I’ve been long- 
ing for!” cried Theo. “Just you wait, 
Fritz, I’ll soon outstrip you on the ice.” 

Otto galloped bravely on his “brand- 
new” rocking-horse, the very same which 
years ago had been the delight of Walter, 


125 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


but which now appeared in a new coat of 
paint, and was equipped with a new bit 
and bridle. So each thought his gift the 
best, and all pressed about their parents 
with hugs and kisses. The gentle little 
Helen manifested . her joy less stormily; 
but she was, perhaps, the happiest of them 
all, as her little heart was thrilled with 
mother joy. The Christ Child had brought 
her a porcelain doll that could actually be 
bathed! Helen had seen but one such doll 
before, but she had never even hoped to 
become the proud owner of one. And now 
it lay there in its dainty white folding-bed, 
and near by stood a little basket full of 
remnants of white cloth together with 
needles and thread! With dreaming eyes 
the motherly little Helen sat planning 
beautiful dresses of all kinds which her 
busy fingers would sew. 0 the happy 
times she would have with her baby doll 
when storm and snow kept them all in- 
doors ! 

When all the presents had been suffi- 
126 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


ciently examined and admired and the 
lights in the Christmas tree began to go 
out, the mother declared: 

“Now I will go and prepare our Christ- 
mas supper. Meanwhile two of you can 
take the small Christmas tree' and a bas- 
ket of provisions to the woodward’s wife 
in the forest. Her husband lies sick at the 
hospital and her little girl is far from well. 
It won’t take you long to get there and 
back. The moon is shining and the frozen 
snow makes easy going.” 

“I’ll go, I’ll go!” cried all the children 
eagerly. 

“Fritz and Rudolph will go,” the father 
decided. 

“0 mother,” said Helen timidly, “may 
not I send Lizzy my old doll Clara ? I have 
lately made her a fine dress.” 

The permission was freely given, and 
the two lads hurried off with Christmas 
tree, doll, and basket in tow. It must have 
sorely displeased poor old Clara to be 
thrust under Rudolph’s arm as a bundle 


127 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


of rags; but then, to carry a doll was al- 
most beneath the dignity of sturdy Ru- 
dolph. But what will one not do on Christ- 
mas Eve ! At first they proceeded on their 
way in silence, for the beautiful night 
with its beaming moon and glittering 
stars, and the sacred Christmas songs 
they had sung, all had put the ordinarily 
boisterous lads in a serious mood. But at 
last Fritz broke the silence : 

“Do you know what we will do? We 
won't go in at all. We’ll just place all this 
stuff by the door, light the candles in the 
tree, and run away. When we’re a little 
ways from the house, I’ll ring mother’s 
dinner bell which I picked up from the 
cupboard as we came away.” 

“But why don’t you want to go in?” 
asked Rudolph. 

“Bah, can’t you imagine how sad it will 
be? I think a good deal of the poor sick 
woodward, and I’m sure I will cry when I 
see the two lonesome creatures within. 
And it’s a shame to cry on Christmas Eve. 

128 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


“That's true enough," Rudolph agreed. 
“And besides, perhaps Lizzy will think 
that the angels brought the things. That 
would be great fun." 

“Listen !" said Fritz. “Do you hear that 
sound from the village? They are singing 
Christmas carols from the church tower, 
and the sound is carried to us through the 
still air. Isn't it solemn and grand !" 

A while they stood listening to the dis- 
tant music, then Rudolph whispered : 
“We’ll try to be good and kind for the 
Christ Child's sake, won't we?" 

Fritz nodded in silence and soon the 
boys were standing before the woodward’s 
cottage. 

“There must be at least one song," whis- 
pered Rudolph. “We'll sing it softly." 

While the lads quietly made their prep- 
arations, the woodward's wife was sitting 
before the fireplace with pale little Lizzy 
looking quite sad and woebegone. 

“Mother," sobbed the child, “won't the 
Christ Child bring us anything this year?" 

129 


Patrick’s First Christmas. 9 . 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

“Nothing this year, I’m afraid,” replied 
the mother sadly. “But pray to the Christ 
that He may make father well and strong 
again. That would be the best gift for 
us.” 

“But mother,” insisted the little girl 
tearfully, “some little thing He might send 
us. I have prayed and prayed for a Christ- 
mas tree and a little doll. Since my Mar- 
garet fell all to pieces I have had no doll 
to play with. Why don’t He send us a sin- 
gle thing? He’s so great and rich!” 

“I can’t tell you, my child,” replied the 
mother with tear-dimmed eyes. “But He 
comes to our hearts with comfort and 
peace. That is the best of all! Wait a 
few minutes, I will bake you a doll cooky, 
and then I will tell you the Christmas 
story.” 

Tears rolled down the mother’s cheeks, 
as she set the pot of soup to heat upon the 
fire. Perhaps she ought to have asked her 
better lotted neighbors for some little 
Christmas joy for her child. But this she 


130 


CHRISTMAS EVE 

felt it so hard to do ! And up to this time 
by faithful work they had never lacked the 
necessaries of life. 

Listen! Was not that the silvery tones 
of a bell? Lizzy sat spellbound. 

“0, he’s coming, after all!” she whis- 
pered, folding her hands in ecstasy. 

Suddenly from beyond the closed door 
they heard the words of a beautiful song 
wafted to them through the evening still- 
ness: 

“0 wondrous night, so full of grace! 

How brightly beamed the moon’s fair face, 
How sparkled every star on high 
When Christ was born! May you and I 
Adore His holy name! 

The angel hosts rejoicing sing: 

‘Praise be to God, our gracious King, 

And peace on earth, good will to men!’ 

0, let the song resound again 
In praise of Christ our Lord! 

Midst fleecy clouds the angels so 
Adore their God, and homage show. 

With adoration and amaze 
The shepherds on the angels gaze, 

And worship God on high.” 

131 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


With folded hands mother and child had 
listened, and stood a while with bated 
breath after the song was ended. 

“0 mother,” whispered Lizzy, “take a 
peek through the door — perhaps the an- 
gels have brought us something!” 

Softly the mother opened the door and 
looked out. Wonder of wonders! Before 
the door stood a small Christmas tree with 
many burning candles, and leaning 
against a well filled basket stood the doll 
Clara in a bright red" dress. 

“The good angels have brought them!” 
exulted Lizzy. “I’m sure I heard them fly 
away through the tree tops !” 

Now all the gifts were taken into the 
house, and Clara the doll was hugged and 
kissed as she had never dreamed of in her 
old days. Lizzy's thin pale cheeks grew 
rosy with happiness ; the mother grateful- 
ly unpacked the basket containing all man- 
ner of Christmas dainties and thereto a 
large sack of coffee, a luxury that had not 
been found in the cottage for many a long 

132 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


day. But best of all was a letter from the 
forester, not only because it contained a 
silver dollar, but chiefly because it con- 
tained a promise to take mother and child 
on the day after Christmas in the fores- 
ter’s sleigh on a visit to the father at the 
hospital. 

“He will surely grow well and strong 
from joy when he sees us!” Lizzy declared. 

“That I hardly dare hope,” the mother 
replied. “But the Christ Child, who has 
given us so much good, will, I trust, hear 
our prayers and restore to us our dear 
father. You must remember to recite to 
him the beautiful verses I taught you. You 
haven’t forgotten them, have you?” 

“Indeed I haven’t!” Lizzy declared. “I’ll 
say them to you right now:” 

“Sing Hosanna! David’s Son 
To His Zion comes in splendor. 

Up ! Prepare for Him a throne ; 
Worthy honors to Him render. 

Strew with palms His path, that He 

As Thy King may come to thee. 


133 


PATRICK’S FIRST CHRISTMAS 


Sing Hosanna! Side by side 

We will make all haste to meet Thee ; 
For our hearts are open wide 

To receive, to hold, to greet Thee. 
Dwell with us forevermore, 

Gracious King, whom we adore! 

Sing Hosanna! Through Thy Word 
Hasten Thou our hearts to enter. 

0, Thou Blest One of the Lord, 

Let Thy mercy on us center! 

Tarry not, 0 Saviour dear! 

Hallelujah! Thou art near!” 



134 








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